


SnK Oneshots (Mostly Reader Insert)

by HopeLSN



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, No Smut, Reader-Insert, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 37
Words: 62,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28212000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HopeLSN/pseuds/HopeLSN
Summary: OPEN FOR REQUESTS!---Open to all requests for characters and ships (even ones not in the tags). Also open to all requests for plots (vague or detailed) except smut/lemon/lime requests.
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Eren Yeager, Armin Arlert/Jean Kirstein, Armin Arlert/Reader, Connie Springer/Reader, Eren Yeager/Reader, Erwin Smith/Reader, Hange Zoë/Reader, Hitch Dreyse/Reader, Jean Kirstein/Eren Yeager, Jean Kirstein/Reader, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Eren Yeager, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Reader, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Levi/Eren Yeager, Levi/Erwin Smith, Levi/Hange Zoë, Levi/Petra Ral, Levi/Reader, Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein, Marco Bott/Reader, Mikasa Ackerman/Annie Leonhart, Mikasa Ackerman/Armin Arlert, Mikasa Ackerman/Armin Arlert/Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman/Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman/Jean Kirstein, Mikasa Ackerman/Reader, Mikasa Ackerman/Sasha Blouse, Moblit Berner/Hange Zoë, Nanaba/Mike Zacharias, Oluo Bozado/Petra Ral, Porco Galliard/Pieck, Porco Galliard/Reader, Sasha Blouse/Connie Springer, Sasha Blouse/Reader, Ymir (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader
Comments: 240
Kudos: 420





	1. Marco Bodt x Reader- Hiking

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter and the next were the two that I had decided on before I even had the fic planned. In fact, I was originally planning on writing a Marco Bodt x Reader Oneshots, but I decided to broaden my scope.

Y/N L/N sucked in a cleansing breath of the fresh mountain air, “Ah… Nothing else like it.” She relished the time she could spend out in nature, having tiny adventures of her own.

Hiking had always been a hobby of hers, and she never failed to make time for it. Even as a college student with virtually no free time, she scheduled regular hiking times so that she could get out and clear her head.

Today was her hiking day- the one day a week that she would drive up to the mountains and take a breathtakingly gorgeous hike. She would revel in the soft breeze and the sweet scent of pine trees. The rustle of the leaves was more than enough to make her want to stay up there forever, but somehow, she always managed to force herself to descend the mountain every single week.

She would often try to take a friend. Eren usually was up for a hike on account it would help him keep fit when it wasn’t basketball season. Jean would go if Eren wasn’t, as he too enjoyed the physical aspect of the activity. Armin loved to be out in nature, though he often found it a little too physically demanding. Mikasa would accompany her, but only if Eren was going. And then there was Marco- the one person she always wanted to go with her. Marco found pleasure in all aspects of hiking, just like she did, and he was the sweetest guy too, so he found it hard to turn her down.

Only, this time, no one was able to go with her. Next week was finals week, and no one else seemed to be as on top of their scheduling as Y/N was. She supposed that they weren’t as motivated to go hiking as she.

And so, while her friends were all locked up in their stuffy rooms with their textbooks, Y/N was climbing up the mountain side, and she was almost at the end of her journey. She left early morning so that she could rise with the sun- she liked to do that- and she planned to reach her final destination at about breakfast time. Then she would sit with her small meal before heading back down.

“Here we are!” She announced to the cliff side before her, making sure to keep her distance from the edge. It wasn’t a huge cliff at all- it being only about 15 feet- but she could still seriously injure herself if she were to fall. “The spot with the perfect view!”

From here, she could see down into the valley and the river that ran through it. She could make out the tiny village at the mountain’s base and even the tiny horses and people hiking miles below her. And the sky! It stretched for miles in every direction.

She plopped herself down away from the edge, “Ah, time for breakfast!” she pulled her backpack from her shoulders and unzipped the biggest pouch, pulling from it an orange cranberry muffin and juice-box filled with orange juice.

She munched on her breakfast, took in the view, and even photographed the majesty of the mountain to later post on Instagram.

When she was finally satisfied with her trip, she packed up her items and shoved her arms through her backpack’s straps. But as she stood, she lost her balance for a split second- but a second is all it really takes for disaster to strike, now isn’t it?

She stumbled backward toward the edge of the cliffside, her heel slipped over the lip, and she fell. If it weren’t for her quick reflexes, Y/N might have seriously damaged her body. However, she very luckily was able to grab hold of the edge for a short moment. Her fingers weren’t able to hold after that initial hit, but it was enough to slow her fall for a second and to readjust the angle of her fall.

It was her left foot that hit the ground before everything else, and it was her left ankle that emitted the nauseating crackling sound.

“AH!” She screamed, clutching her leg to her stomach by the knee. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she felt the intense pain that she hadn’t experienced since the time she broke her arm in second grade.

There she lay for a good twenty minutes before she felt that she was able to push aside the pain well enough to stop cradling her leg and grab her phone.

But, who would she call anyway? It was around nine o’clock so Connie and Sasha were almost definitely raiding the campus’s cafeteria, which she didn’t think they had access to- but that was beside the point. Jean and Eren usually did a brief workout in the morning and they tended to keep their phones on silent while they did so. Mikasa had a habit of watching Eren workout, and- per his request- she would also silence her cell. Armin was definitely in the library- she had run into him on his way there when she left- and the library has a rule that you have to keep your phone on silent as well.

Her heart froze. That left Marco. She couldn’t do that to him. She couldn’t call him and disrupt his day just to come pick her up. Surely, she could wait for another hiker to come by.

“Ok,” She heaved, stifling her tears as best she could, “I will wait here for another ten minutes and if nobody comes around by then, I’ll just have to call Marco.”

The clouds danced over her head in a mesmerizing pattern, as if they had not a single care in the world, which they probably didn’t given that they were just clouds. Nevertheless, had someone looked up at these clouds they wouldn’t see anything that might indicate that somewhere there was someone lying on the ground in pain with no one to come help her.

She glanced at her phone, surely it had been ten minutes. But when the numbers glared back up at her, all she could do was sigh and try to keep her lip from trembling- it had only been three.

“I can’t take it!” she cried as she scrolled through her contacts for Marco and pressed the call icon.

It rang and rang and rang until she finally heard his voice on the other end, “What’s up, Y/N? Aren’t you on your hike?”

She felt a wave of relief crashing down on her- she hadn’t been sure that she’d get service up here, but his voice was clear as day. She had to strain to keep her voice steady as she replied, “Yeah… Yeah I’m still on my hike.” Y/N gulped harshly in order to force down a rising sob. “Only, I had a bit of an accident, and I think I need help.”

“Oh my gosh, what happened?” His tone was deeply laced with concern and desperation. Y/N could practically hear his muscles tense.

A couple tears slipped past her eyelids as her attention was called back to the throbbing sensation in her ankle, “Um-“her voice broke harshly and she sniffled. “I sorta fell and…” she took a deep breath to steady her quivering voice, “and I think I may have broken my ankle.”

“Where are you?” The concern was now replaced with straight-up alarm. “Are you bleeding?”

“I’m at the bottom of that cliff I like to hike to.” She answered. “And, no- no blood.”

There was a moment of silence, then the screech of a chair against hardwood flooring, a light jingle of what was likely keys, and a papery sound that could have been the sound of a winter jacket. “Stay right there, I’m coming.” A door screeched open and slammed shut. “I’ll be there in about an hour and a half- maybe an hour if I go over the speed limit.”

“Marco, don’t speed- that’s dangerous.” Y/N hiccupped thinking about having to wait that long, but she knew she wouldn’t forgive herself if he ended getting pulled over or worse- getting in an accident. “I can wait.”

Her ears were filled with the pitter-patter of shoes against cement stairs. “Are you sure?”

She sniffed her nose clear, “Yes. I’m sure.”

“Then I’ll see you in an hour and a half.”

“See you then…” She pressed the end call button, knowing that he wouldn’t. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself and clenched her eyes shut. “I guess it’s just going to be me, myself, and I for the time being.” And now she finally allowed the tears to flow freely from her eyes and the cries to fall from her lips.

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity of lying in the dirt with all sorts of bugs climbing through her hair and clothes, Y/N finally heard the sound of feet against the ground.

She lifted her head, “Marco?”

“Oh my goodness, Y/N!” called the voice of the freckled boy, who rushed to her side and took her into his strong arms. He brushed the hair from her face and locked his soft eyes on her e/c ones. “Are you ok?”

She smirked- the pain had long since turned into numbness, that or maybe she just didn’t notice anymore, “Aside from the ankle thing? I’m doing fantastic.

He paid no heed to her sarcasm and just lifted her off the ground, “The car’s not far, so I’m going to carry you there, ok?”

“Wait, you can’t bring your car up this way unless you pay.”

He bashfully glanced away from her eyes, “Yeah, so?”

She shook her head, “I’ll pay you back when I get my purse.”

“Nonsense. You are not paying me back.” And before she could protest further, he continued, “I’m going to start walking now, is there any way I can make this more comfortable?”

She blushed as she realized her head was lying in the nook where his shoulder met his neck, “Uh… no… thank you though.”

The freckled boy grinned, “It’s no problem. Now, let’s get you to the car.”

He walked about ten minutes to the main road, and from there it was only another five until they reached the parking lot. He opened the passenger seat door of his car and set Y/N inside, buckling her in. Then he made his way around to the driver’s side, securing himself as well.

“Ok, I’m going to get you to the nearest hospital, ok?” He stated as he jammed the keys into the ignition and started the car.

“Mhm.” She groaned, squeezing her eyes shut.

* * *

The drive to the hospital was a long one, and the road was a weather-worn nightmare. It was unclear whether the state of the road was due to wind or earthquakes or rain- did it really matter though? It was actually hell to drive on this road, especially when in pain.

Every time the car drove over a pothole, gravely patch, bump, or crack in the road, it would jerk in a way of which Y/N was certainly not appreciative.

She hissed and seethed, bracing herself against the seat and praying to whatever gods may be- Jesus, Nature, the Greek Pantheon, the Universe, all of the above- that the road flatten out and that her pain would ebb away. Alas, whatever cosmic power that controlled these sorts of things did not feel like obliging Y/N’s wishes.

Marco attempted to take her mind off of it all with his best efforts and his can-do attitude. That near angelic grin seemed to be the most distracting of his features and conversation attempts, but even that wasn’t enough to assuage the throbbing in her ankle (hard to believe right?).

“So how was your hike? You know… up until…” he took one hand off the wheel to gesture at her ankle- probably not the best way to distract her from it.

With eyes locked on the passing greenery just outside the car window, Y/N managed to grumble, “It was good… the air was cool like I like it…”

He grinned that “Marco grin” that looked like a promise of an angel’s descent, “That’s good.” His eyes never left the road ahead, however, which was good for two reasons- the obvious one being safety and the other being the flaming blush on her cheeks. He probably wouldn’t notice if he had been looking, though, given that her head was turned away from his. “What did you pack to eat?”

“A muffin, juice, trail mix, water, and a sandwich.” She recalled. “Though, I only had the muffin and juice.”

“Do you want me to reach into your bag and get you the sandwich? It’s about lunchtime now.”

Y/N rolled sharply to the side and pushed up from her slouch, wincing as she applied far too much pressure on her wounded leg. “No, don’t! Marco, that would be far too dangerous!”

His face, turned to look at her, was twisted into an expression of alarm and concern, but swiftly melted into a softer one as he turned back to the road. His lips released a breathy chuckle, “I was going to pull over, silly.”

“Silly?” she snorted, trying to keep her lips pressed into a stiff line so that she didn’t appear as amused as she actually was. “What are we, five?”

He just kept smiling, “Do you want the sandwich or not?”

“No.” she shook her head. “And I could get it myself anyway… not like my back is broken.”

After that, Marco didn’t speak for a while- just focused on driving.

Y/N didn’t bother to strike conversation either, instead she turned her attention to the passing scenery. The mountains fading into the distance, the small wooden shack-like houses that made up seemingly every passing town (seriously, were they all ghost towns or something?), the plain grassy meadows stretching between the mountain ranges, and occasionally a horse or two would be grazing nearby.

This goes on for thirty-some-odd minutes before Marco finally asks, “So… you ready for finals next week?”

Her head fell away from the window and her eyes trained on his glowing profile, highlighted by the midday sun, “Yeah, I have to stay on top of things though, or I won’t have time to go hiking. What about you?”

“I’m pretty much finished. All I’ve got to do next week is look over some things for a refresher.” And after a few minutes of silence, he awkwardly cleared his throat and added, “So, uh, since you’ve got most of your studying done, would you want to maybe go to the carnival next week?”

Y/N’s brow furrowed- was he talking about the big carnival in the park? “Isn’t that _two_ weeks from now?”

He laughed and shook his head, his grip tightening on the wheel just enough for his knuckles to turn grey but not quite enough for them to go white, “Um, no… I checked the dates this morning.”

“Oh.” She stated, while the proposition turned over in her head. There were many pieces that didn’t seem to connect up. “But, none of our friends will be free that week.”

His eyes narrowed a bit, “Yeeeeaaaah… but we both have time... unless you don’t want to go that is- which is fine, of course!”

Shaking her head, she cut him off, “No, I’d love to go.” And that’s when the blood rushed to her cheeks. He could have asked Armin, who has practically everything memorized for all his classes, but Marco didn’t even include that possibility. Did that mean he wanted the two of them to go alone. “So, it’s just the two of us then?”

He lifted one hand from the wheel and scratched the back of his neck, “Uh… yeah… that’s not a problem, is it?”

“Of course not.” She replied, shaking her head with her face glowing red and her voice trembling from nerves, “Should I consider this a date?”

Marco’s eyes widened and he seemed to choke on his own voice, “Guh- um… if you want to?”

Her blush only grew brighter, “I’d like that.”

Maybe breaking her ankle was worth it if it led to a date with the boy she’d been crushing on all semester.

* * *


	2. Marco Bodt x reader- Saved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You catch Reiner, Annie, and Bertholdt in the act of taking off Marco's maneuver gear.

You could hardly believe your eyes. Reiner, who acted like everyone’s big brother, was pinning Marco, the sweetest guy you’d ever meet, to the ground while Annie stripped him of his ODM gear.

Marco cried out for help, desperate for someone to save him from the very people who had claimed to be his friends for years.

And while your bones had iced over, keeping you in place, you raised your voice, “Hey! What’s going on over here? You guys should stop goofing off!”

Reiner rose to his feet, as did Annie, “Right! Sorry.”

“We got a little distracted.” mused the blonde girl with a tone of complete and utter boredom.

Firmly placing your hands on your hips, you forced your voice to come out in a teasing manner, “Besides, don’t you idiots know that it’s dangerous to take your gear off in a warzone?”

Bertholdt, who stood behind Reiner, stuttered nervously, “S-sorry! We’ll help him back into his gear and get back to working as soon as possible!”

You shook your head, knowing that if you left Marco, he would get fed to the titan that was creeping closer by the minute. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll help him. You guys go get back to work, you’ve already been away for far too long.”

The three betrayers hesitated, but after taking note of the titan, they nodded and swung off toward the center of the battle.

You zipped over to Marco and helped him re-buckle his gear, making off with him in nick of time. The titan was reaching out for you just as you made your escape with Marco. And once you were a safe distance away, resting on a rooftop, Marco dropped to his knees with trembling hands.

You crawled over to him and wrapped your arms tightly around his, refusing to let him go.

“Thank-”  _ hiccup. _ “Thank you!”  _ Sniffle. _ “You saved me!” _ Sob. _

Listening to his sobs was just too much, so you nuzzled your head into the crook of his neck and squeaked, “It was nothing.”

He turned up his head and lifted your chin. Your eyes met his watery ones which were filled with gratitude as he added, “It couldn’t have been easy to make up a story like that on the spot.” his voice was shaky and his lip was trembling, and all you wanted to do was to hold him until he felt better again. “I saw you standing there with that terrified look on your face- you knew they weren’t messing around.”

Your eyes pricked with newly forming tears, “It’s not like I had a choice!” pressing your tongue to the roof of your mouth and clenching your teeth shut, you barricaded the cry of terror you’d been suppressing inside your mouth. 

He encircled you in his own arms and returned your comforting hold, “Shhh, don’t cry.” he encouraged whilst crying. “Because of you, I’m ok!”

You blinked the tears away and relaxed your muscles, “I’m sorry. This should be about you. You were the one who almost died.”

“No, no. It’s ok. You’re involved now too, which means that you’re also in trouble. We should probably go get somewhere safe and warn the others.”

You removed your arms from around his and slid them underneath his biceps around his waist. He was taken aback by your actions, but eventually his body untensed and he melted into your embrace. Your head pressed against his chest, which allowed you to hear the calming thump of his abnormally fast heartbeat.

“Can we just wait a minute? I just need to process this a little longer.” You mumbled into the fabric of his shirt.

He rested his head atop yours and nodded, “Yeah.”

“I can’t believe Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie try to hurt you like that…” Sniffling and a mess, you were surprised that you were able to even form words at all. “I thought they were your friend.”

The freckled boy murmured into your soft hair, “Did you hear what they said?”

“No.” you admitted, still not removing your head from his chest, “What was it?”

“Reiner and Bertholdt were talking about their ‘titans’ and also the hole in a wall.” he began. “I heard it and asked them about it and they tried to pass it off as a joke. So I told them to get back to their job and left.”

You frowned as you tried to put the pieces together, “They chased after you anyway?”

“Yeah.” He sighed heavily before continuing. “I thought I was saved when Annie showed up, but Reiner told her that I knew too much and that they couldn’t let me off. She joined them and that’s about when you walked in.”

“...I’m sorry… I just can’t believe that you might’ve died had I not intervened.”

He squeezed you closer to him, “Hey, it’s ok- I’m ok. There’s no need to worry about what could have happened because it didn’t.” You nodded against his chest, knowing he was right. “Besides, we still have to worry about what will come if we don’t get somewhere safe.”

“Yeah, I suppose we can go now.” You screwed your eyes shut for a moment to block out visual input and suppress your thoughts. “I think I’m good now.” You released him from your grasp, rising to your feet, and he did the same.

But as your hand started to fidget with your gear, Marco latched onto your upper arm, “Can I ask you one last thing before we go?”

“Of course. What is it?”

His warm and gentle eyes bore into your own as he asked, “Why did you save me?”

You cocked your head in confusion, “What do you mean?” 

“Most of the other cadets would have just saved themselves or done nothing at all out of fear, but you got yourself involved in this to save me.” He furthered with eyes swimming in something akin to hope. “Why?”

Blinking repeatedly, you struggled to put your thoughts into the appropriate words. To most of your peers, it was no secret that you had a crush on the taller boy with freckled cheeks. But it wasn’t so obvious to the male standing before you now. “I- I, um…”

He removed his hand from your arm and moved it to rest on your shoulder encouragingly.

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I hadn’t.” Your voice cracked harshly with this admitted truth. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost you, Marco.”

His eyebrows drew in close, “I feel the same way about you, Y/N. I mean, we’ve been best friends since our first year in training.”

You slowly shook your head, “No… that’s not what I meant.” He leaned ever so slightly closer to you in anticipation. “I care for you in a way that’s more than that of a friend.”

All Marco did was sigh- he almost sounded relieved, "Oh, great! Because I've been meaning to tell you that I have a crush on you for the last two years." 

"You do?" you asked, eyes clouded with disbelief. 

His freckles seemed to arc when he broke into the widest grin, "Yeah. And I'd love to talk more about this, but we should probably get to somewhere safe before Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner figure out a way to get rid of the both of us." 

"Yeah, ok. But promise that we'll revisit this later." 

"Of course." he turned back to his gear, getting ready to leap off, when something caught his eye. Your gaze followed his and lands on Jean and Connie coming your way. "Looks like they're heading back too!" "Then let's tag along with them." 

You added, shrugging. "You know what they say: there's safety in numbers."

* * *

The trainees all huddled around a glowing bonfire, watching their dead peers go up in flames. For you, clutching Marco's arm, it was made painfully clear to you that had you not intercepted Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie's murder attempt, Marco's body would be burning on that pile. 

The two of you related your story to the higher-ups immediately and an attempt at apprehension was made. This plan did not go accordingly, however, and the three managed to evade capture, causing a bunch of damage and deaths in the process. Everyone felt the looming sensation that they would have to be dealing with them again in the near future.

The deaths climbed even higher than the initial attack on Trost, and thus the funeral pyres were stocked high.

"Marco..."

"I know."

You sniffed your tears away, "I have to join the Survey Corps... to stop them..."

"Then I'm coming with you." he murmured, lacing his fingers between yours. "I'll go wherever you go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'The next one will be a Mikasa x Marley Nurse as was requested!


	3. Mikasa x Marley Nurse (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> -Spoiler Warning-  
> You meet Mikasa, a wounded soldier on the battlefield. Even though she's an enemy soldier, you take pity on her and tend to her wounds.

There she lay, bleeding out onto the pavement of the internment zone. Her short, choppy black hair stuck matted against her forehead and her lips parted to make way for short, heavy breaths. Her hand was pressed against the side of her body that was resting against the ground, and blood seeped through her shirt and between her fingers. 

Her black suit with silver breastplates immediately alerted you that she was one of those island devils from Paradise. But something about the way that her eyebrows crease and her eyes screw shut gave you the distinct impression that she was worried about something- or more likely someone- other than herself. That kind of selflessness- you supposed- was what prompted your feet to move to her side.

You knelt down on the pavement before her and gently caressed a strand of hair from her face, “Excuse me, miss, if you’ll allow me to move you, I can take care of that wound of yours.”

Her eyes peeled open to inspect your face carefully. She groaned, remarking oh so cleverly, “But- you’re Marleyan.”

You sent her your best smile and offered, “Yes, but I’m still a nurse… I can help.”

Her brows only drew closer in confusion and she pushed herself into something that vaguely resembled a sitting position, “Why, though? I’m your enemy.”

You sat back on your heels and pondered the question for a bit. Why were you helping her? “I… I don’t know…”

The soldier listed her head, “You don’t know?”

“I suppose I figured that it was the right thing to do.”

She was skeptically quiet for several moments until she sighed, “Ok.”

“Ok?” You rose to your feet and placed your hands on your hips. “What made you change your mind?”

She didn’t smile, nor did she even try to. Rather, she bluntly stated, “You seem genuine, and I trust my judgement.”

To say that her answer took you aback would be a drastic understatement, but rather than say anything, you just held out your hand for her to take. And feeling her fingers rest in yours set off a spark you hadn’t felt in such a long time. But, nevertheless, you crouched down and wrapped your arm around her back to help her to her feet- her hand still secure in yours.

She winced and stumbled, dropping into your side. Your hands dropped to her waist, avoiding the area from where the blood was flowing, to steady her. “Thank you.”

You smiled, almost saying ‘no problem,’ when in fact it’s far from ‘no big deal.’ “You’re welcome.” 

Making your way down the sidewalk, you took note of the Paradise soldiers whooshing by overhead on their maneuver gear, and the Marleyan soldiers lining the rooftops and stampeding down the street, guns trained on the devil Eldians. 

Buildings on both sides of the street were smoking and demolished from the titans that had made their devastating march through downtown Liberio, and there were bodies piling up in the road, on cars, on sidewalks- basically any surface as far as the eye could see. Most of the bodies lying in particularly odd places were Eldians, as they had been shot out of the sky and come crashing down. 

You tried to ignore all the unnecessary bloodshed, thinking to yourself that this could all have been avoided if either side would have at least attempted to hear the other out. But you were aware that it was a naive thought, so you pushed it to the back of your mind, as you carried the young woman down a side street toward the emergency medical tent where you were stationed.

“You don’t seem all that worried about yourself, is there something that’s bothering you?” at this, the soldier lifted her hanging head to meet your eyes.

“First the medical aid and now you care about my feelings?” She remarked, trying on a pained smirk, which was so faint one who wasn’t watching closely wouldn’t have noticed it. “You really aren’t like the other Marleyans, are you?”

You grinned playfully to lighten the mood, “Well, we aren’t all completely heartless, you know.” Then, lips falling into a more serious line, you added, “Besides, most of us are lost in the propaganda that the Government spews to direct our hatred onto the Eldians. It’s the Government that’s at fault here, not the people.” 

She squinted up at you, her eyes striking you with their silver sparkle, “We were like that too, for a while.” Her head dropped back down to stare intently at the ground. “Our king had the power to control everything down to our memories… the founding titan can do that, I guess.”

Her form slouched a bit, and you pulled her up and bolstered her on one shoulder to the best of your ability. But however focused you were on her physical condition, you were even more locked onto the words that were streaming from those beautiful lips- what? It’s not like you could lie to yourself about something so blatantly obvious.

“We didn’t even know that anyone existed outside of the walls. We didn’t know about the titan-shifters. We didn’t know we were being controlled.” She muttered, seemingly more to herself than to you. “I guess we’re more alike than our leaders would like us to think.”

You sniffed in agreement, “Yeah, I guess so.”

The two of you didn’t speak again until you rounded the corner where the medical tent sat out of range of the raging battle. You slipped her inside and laid her on the nearest cot, muttering a soft “stay here” and closing the curtains around her.

You arrived back at her side not a minute later with a cart of essential tools, antiseptics, and other such things and started tending to her wound- first cutting away the fabric from around her side. 

You set to sterilizing the gash in her side, muttering, “How did you get this?”

“Ssss!” She seethed as the alcohol-soaked cloth pressed up against her open cut, “Ah… um… Bullet grazed me…” as the strained words left her lips, her face was screwed into a harsh wince.

“The bullet did more than graze you… that’s a pretty serious wound you’ve got there.” You murmur, getting into a routine. It wasn’t like you hadn’t treated this type of injury before, you’ve had your fair share- this was a warzone after all.

Her half-lidded silvery eyes caught on your (e/c) ones, and you couldn’t help but notice how attractive she was even sweaty and exhausted. You silently wondered to yourself what she might look like on a good day. “You’re going to be able to fix it though, right?”

You hummed in response, an indicator that you would indeed be able to help her. “Yes, but you’ve lost a lot of blood- is there anyone you know that would be willing to give up some for you?”

Her eyebrows creased and her lips pursed, “You don’t have any here?”

“We do… but…” you scratched the back of your neck, which was difficult through the crappy gloves that covered your hands. “... well, you’re an Eldian… you’ll need the blood of another Eldian…”

She sighed heavily and brought a hand up to push back her sweaty raven hair from her forehead, “They’re all fighting out there, right now. And besides, I doubt any of them would willingly go with you… or even believe you if you said you were helping me.” then she went silent for several minutes, likely pondering her options. “Are there any Eldians around here?”

You paused. There was one thing that might work, but it was risky. “Well, there is an Eldian medical tent about a ten minute run down south… but who knows what state you’ll be in when I get back.”

“Do it… it’s not like I have any other alternatives.”

You supposed she was right. If this didn’t work, there was nothing anyone could do for her, “Alright. I’ll stitch you up and run down to the Eldian tent. But, I’m going to need you to hang on for me ok?”  
She smiled and nodded, “Ok.”

* * *

When you arrived back with the blood for her, the young woman had her eyes closed as she lay peacefully on the cot. 

Your eyes widened and you rushed to her side in a panic- she couldn’t be! “Hey, hey, hey!” you called, shaking her lightly.

Her eyes slowly flitted open, “I’m fine… just resting…”

“You nearly gave me a heart attack!” you chided and lifted the blood before her. “Do you know how difficult it was to come up with a plausible excuse for this? All that work would have gone to waste…” You knew it was a selfish thing to say, but you got the distinct impression that she knew your reasons ran deeper than that. After all, just helping her could get you in massive trouble, so clearly you weren’t doing this to help yourself.

She half smiled up at you but closed her eyes once more, whispering, “Will you stop whining and get working already? I don’t have all day…”

It was a terrible thing to say, really, but perhaps making jokes about how close she was to death’s door helped her in some way.

Setting out to complete the job you’d started you hastily replied, “Right. Yeah.”

* * *

After you managed to finish your work on the paradise soldier, you sat back in a chair at her bedside. It was extremely likely that you’d have to sit here for the rest of the night to make sure that no one discovers the eldian woman on the cot. 

You peered down at her, as she rested peacefully- probably getting some much needed sleep- and muttered, “All this for an enemy soldier whose name I don’t even know…” You rolled your eyes at yourself, knowing that at any minute you could get found out and convicted of treason.

“...Mikasa.” came a sweet voice from beside you.

Your eyes darted back town to her figure, “Hm?”

She rolled onto her other side to face you, wincing as her patched injury pressed up against the cot- or perhaps at the movement of her body, “My name’s Mikasa.”

Lips curling upward you mused in your mind, “Mikasa… what a beautiful name for a beautiful girl.” 

“You’re pretty attractive yourself…” Your eyes widened, not realizing you had spoken aloud until she had made her remark.

With cheeks flaming red, you tried to backtrack, “I, um… I meant to say… um…your name suits you?” You couldn’t even convince yourself of that lie, so why would she believe you?

She snorted softly, “Sure…” 

Your cheeks and heart rate settled down after a few minutes of silence, and you took in the simple pleasure of being in Mikasa’s presence. She just radiated a feeling of safety, like nothing bad could happen to you while she was at your side. 

“I still don’t know your name.”

“Huh?” you stared down at her, cocking your head slightly. “Oh, um, it’s Y/N.”

“Y/N… pretty…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be an Older Eren x Marley Nurse- I realized a little too late that the request for a "Mikasa x Marley Nurse" had been revised to an "Older Eren x Marley Nurse," so I'm posting both... lol.


	4. Older Eren x Marley Nurse (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are working with the Eldian soldiers who came back from the trenches with PTSD. You have been noticing a certain soldier, who strikes you differently than the rest. You finally decide to approach him.
> 
> Requested by Luza6. Thank you so much for requesting!

You had been caring for the psychologically impaired soldiers from the trenches for a couple days before  _ he _ caught your eye.

His long brown hair shielded his good eye from view, and his other was covered by a white bandage. He was missing one leg from below the knee, and thus his pant leg was tied into a knot on that side. Beside him on the bench (on which he was sitting) leaned a wooden crutch, which you swore you’d never seen him use.  _ Did he ever even leave that bench? _ You wondered.

After a thirty or so minutes of debating and hours of observing him, you finally decided to stride across the courtyard and strike up a conversation.

You knew he wasn’t averse to contact with others, as you’d seen Falco Grice, a young warrior candidate, talk to him nearly every day. So, with just a smidge of hesitation, you stepped out from the hospital interior, making purposeful strides over to the eldian soldier. But, as you neared him, you slowed your pace, nearly getting to a meek shuffle by the time you reached the bench.

You cleared your throat, “May I sit here?”

The soldier neither looked up nor spoke a word. Rather, he made a slight nod of the head, indicating that he didn’t mind.

Sitting down at his side, you smoothed out your nurse smock and stared at your hands resting on your knees. You pinched your lips and furrowed your brows, gazing intently as you carefully mulled over what you ought to say. 

You had this whole plan worked out before you came over here, but as soon as you found yourself actually sitting beside him, all previous thoughts cleared your mind. You sighed heavily… this was just your luck.

“Please tell me that your silence doesn’t mean I have some terminal illness.” He remarked, clearly more confident in his own skin than you could ever dream of being.

Releasing a breathy laugh, you shook your head, “No, I just thought you could use some company.”

He smirked, “Ah, the desperate look of loneliness is the brightest beacon.” you upturned your head so that he could see the look of confusion scrawled on your face. “Oh, sorry… it was something my mother used to say.”

With a bright smile, you turned your body toward him to give your undivided attention, “She sounds really nice.”

His gaze turned down to his feet somberly, “She was.”

Your lips morphed into a frown.  _ Was?  _ “I’m sorry…”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” You couldn’t see his eyes through the curtain of sleek brown hair that separated you from him, but you didn’t have to see his eyes to know that he had been sent to a dark spot in his mind. “She passed a long time ago.”

You tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder, your fingers briefly making contact with his hair, which was even softer than it appeared. “Doesn’t mean it doesn’t still hurt.”

He smiled half-heartedly, a look you could barely make out through the thinner strands of hair that “hid” his lips. “I suppose you’re right. I do miss her every day.”

“How old were you?” you asked after waiting a good couple of minutes in reluctance.

His head turned away from you, and for a moment you wondered if you struck a nerve that you shouldn't have, but then he answered, “I was ten.”

You were baffled and you desperately wanted to ask more.  _ How did she die? Is your father still around? Do you have any siblings?  _ But in the end, you refrained because, although you couldn’t see his expression, it was obvious that this was a very sore subject for him. The way his back hunched and the way he hung his head were dead giveaways.

Thinking briefly, you tried to put yourself in his shoes. If your mom had died when you were ten, how would you feel being asked so many questions about it? 

Your mother’s soft face flashed in your mind- her hair pinned up as it almost always was, adorned in the dark brown (now more of a middle bown) dress that she usually wore to important events, and that warm look in her eyes that never failed to fill you with comfort.

If she passed away, you weren’t sure what you would do. She was the very reason you went to work as a nurse. It had been her dream to go to medical school and help others, but when your grandmother passed, your grandfather needed more help around the house and she was stuck there until she married your dad. You carried out her dream through yourself and you never once regretted the decision.

“How old are you now?” you inquired after finally settling on the right question.

The soldier finally lifted his head and met your (e/c) eyes, “19.”

You gaped widely- he was so young to have seen the brutal horrors of war. Not to mention that there was something about his intense blue eyes that took your breath away. “Only 19?”

He smirked and leaned a little closer to you, “Why? Do I look older?”

“A bit…” you trailed off, getting lost once more in those striking eyes. “But, that’s not what’s so surprising. 19 just seems a little young to be in this hospital for PTSD.”

His playful look fell and he murmured barely audibly, “You mean that you think I’m too young to be fighting?”  
Pursing your lips, you shook your head, “I suppose not. Everyone’s gotta do their part, I guess.” You stopped talking in order to find the right addition to your thought, and he patiently waited. “It just baffles me that someone my age could be suffering like this…”

Completely ignoring the content of your thought, he lifted his chin to stare you down with a skeptical look plastered over his features, “Wait, how old are you?”

You quirked your eyebrows and folded your hands in your lap, trying to come off a little smug, “I’m 21.”

“You look younger.”

“Excuse me?”

His lips stretched into a grin, “I don’t mean you any offense. I only mean that you look closer to 18.” Apparently this wasn’t the end because, as you were pondering the implications of his statement, he clarified, “You’re still really attractive though.”

Your eyes narrowed up at him, “That’s supposed to make me feel better?”

He raised his hands in a guilty surrender, but his stupid little smile suggested it wasn’t as sincere as you would like.

In a failed attempt to bite back a dumb remark, a simple exposing phrase slipped your lips, “Besides, you’re clearly the attractive one here.”

“What’s that, now?” He teased, bringing his face right down beside yours.

Your cheeks flamed red at his close proximity and your body tensed. “Nothing!” You squeaked, hoping that he truly didn’t hear you and not that he was just trying to get a rise out of you.

Unfortunately, it was looking like the latter was more accurate, as he sits back upright and chuckles to himself, “Nice to know that someone finds me attractive… even with all this.” he gestures to the bandage over his eye and his missing lower leg.

Your expression softens, and you’re not quite sure what to say. “I never got your name.”

“You didn’t ask for it.”

You giggled lightly and rephrased in a mockingly formal accent, “What is your name, good sir.” 

A gentle chuckle falls from his lips, followed by an accent similar to your own, saying, “Eren Kruger, and you?

“Y/N L/N.” You announce and cap off with an awkward bow. “At your service, Mr. Kruger, sir.”

He tucked his hair behind his ear and for the first time you could really see his enticing features. Boy, did he look good. “Y/N…” your name rolled off his tongue like sweet, sweet honey. “I like that.” he grinned. “Thank you for talking to me, Y/N. It gets kind of lonely.”

You felt your cheeks burning up again, “Anytime. Anytime.”

“Say,” he began, resting one arm behind him on the bench, “will you come back tomorrow to talk to me again?”

Nodding vigorously, you agreed, “Yes, of course.”

“Wonderful. I rather enjoy your company.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, as requested, will be a polyamorous relation ship one-shot between Mikasa, Armin, and Eren.


	5. Mikasa x Armin x Eren (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A polyamorous relation ship between Eren, Mikasa, and Armin, in which Eren is dating both Armin and Mikasa. He's not sure who he likes more, and each of his partners doesn't know about the other.
> 
> Requested by ddaIgi_uyu. Thank you so much, I hope I did well with your request (I haven't written polyamorous relationships before, so I'm hoping this turns out well).

How was I to get out of this mess? I had been dating Armin for several weeks already when Mikasa approached me and asked me out to a dinnertime picnic on the Survey Corps Barrack’s roof. It’s been two weeks since then, and I haven’t told either of them that I’m in another relationship. 

I scrunched my nose- I really stepped in it this time, didn’t I? But, deciding to bite the bullet, I strode over to Armin and Mikasa, whom I had told to meet me by the training field right before dinner, when everyone else is waiting outside the mess hall.

Oddly enough, the situation was tense enough to make me behave awkwardly around my childhood friends. My hand rose to the back of my neck on instinct and I bit back a nervous gulp as I approached the two.

Armin, who was standing with his arms hanging in before his legs and his fingers intertwined, lit up when he noticed that I was approaching him.

Mikasa, on the other hand, continued to stare on straight ahead, expression blank and arms folded over her chest. She vaguely looked my direction when I came within five feet of her and sent me a half smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

I finally took that anxious gulp and tugged at the end of my shirt, “I, um… I need to talk to the both of you.”

Armin’s smile fell and he listed his head in concern, “What about, Eren?”

My eyebrows knotted nervously, but I tried to smile reassuringly at the blond boy I’d come to love. I sighed heavily, “I have something I need to admit to the both of you.”

Mikasa narrowed her eyes, the wind blowing in her hair softly- from the corner of my eye I noticed Armin’s hair ruffling as well.

“I haven’t been completely honest with either of you lately, and it’s been eating me up inside.” My head dropped to the ground and I took to inspecting the blades of grass by my feet. They stuck up like pointy needles, and there were faded circles on them from where the morning dew had dried. “I have been seeing both of you… I’m really sorry…”

They both stood in silence for a moment, and when I raised my head I noticed tears in Armin’s eyes. My heart shattered- the last thing I wanted to do was hurt the two people I loved the most.

I continued when they didn’t say anything, “I- I was dating Armin first, but Mikasa asked me to dinner two weeks ago and we’ve gone out several times since. I… well… I really don’t want to hurt either of you further…. So…. I thought I should come clean.” I felt tears prick at my own eyes as I realized that this might not just mean the end of both romantic relationships, but that I might have just lost them as friends too.

“I’m... I’m really- EXTREMELY-sorry! I- I-” but before I could continue, Armin's thin arms came crashing into me, wrapping around my torso.

He buried his face in my chest and released broken sobs, “Eren! I’m sorry too!”

Vision blurry, I stared down at him completely baffled, “Why- what are  _ you _ sorry about?  _ I’m _ the one who screwed up!”

“I also cheated on you with Mikasa!” He cried, tilting his chin up to face me. There were thick trails of water streaming down his face and his blue eyes were sparkling with sadness. “I’m so sorry!” The distraught boy slid down to his knees and hid his face in his hands.

I stood there stunned.  _ Armin had cheated? _ That was certainly unexpected. But then something else occurred to me.  _ Wait? Does this mean that Mikasa was dating the both of us too?” _

I turned my face to her, meeting her apologetic gaze. It seemed that we had all made the same mistake.

_ But was it really a mistake? _

I knelt down before Armin, peeling his hands from his face and cradling them in mine, “Hey, hey, it’s ok.” I cooed, resting my forehead against his. “Now, why would either of us be mad at you, Armin? We both did the same thing.”

His lip trembled, “You’re not disappointed in me?”

“Of course not! I can’t fault you for something that I did too, now can I?” I smirked playfully and took one hand from his to push his hair behind his ear. “That wouldn’t be very fair.”

He offered a weak smile, “I suppose.”

We both turned our heads up to Mikasa, waiting for her to make her move. 

Her usually blank face shifted into something that struck me as a mix between sorry, sympathetic, concerned, and a little happy.  _ I don’t think I’ve seen her look this emotional since we were nine and she lost her parents. _ Taking tentative steps, she finally made her way toward us, crouching down in the prickly grass as the gentle summer breeze passed over us.

Two arms circled around my body and Armin’s, bringing all three of us closer, “I’m sorry. It was never my intention to hurt either of you. I care for both of you so much, and I didn’t want to have just one of you.”

For the first time today, I allowed a grin of pure joy to grace my features, “I feel the same way.”

“Me too.” came Armin’s meek voice, to which the three of us chuckled. “Does this mean we can all still be together?”’

Mikasa smiled in agreement, and, bringing my lips to his forehead, I whispered, “Yeah, I think it does.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this one is a little short, but I thought it was pretty cute the way it was. I can always do a part two, though- if any of you want, that is... :)
> 
> Next chapter will be Jealous!Mikasa x Annie as was requested!


	6. Jealous!Mikasa x Annie (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa finds that she is jealous of Annie's close relationship with Bertholdt, who is clearly crushing on her. 
> 
> Requested by XUEN_araki. Thank you for the request!

Of late, Annie had been talking to Bertholdt a little too much for Mikasa’s liking. You see, Mikasa was never one who particularly cared for sharing. She knew that Annie would never leave her for Bertholdt, and yet, every time she saw her talking with that walking tree (let’s be honest here, he’s practically the size of a tree), her entire body felt like it was on fire.

Occasionally, Reiner would join in on the conversations, and Mikasa usually felt better when he was there, but the jealousy was still there.

What were they even talking about that couldn’t be said in front of her? Flirting, probably. At least, that’s what Mikasa tended to assume.

Today just felt a little different though. The way they spoke in hushed tones, the close proximity of their faces, the gentle touches of Bertholdt’s hand on her elbow- all of it- drove Mikasa crazy! 

Her vision clouded over with red tinge- this would stop now. 

The sound of her stomping feet could easily be heard by all the trainees within a fifty foot radius, and her death glare was plenty sufficient for her peers to scramble out of her way. She pursed her lips and her stare bore into the side of Bertholdt’s face. 

The freakishly tall boy seemed to sense her fuming presence swiftly encroaching, as he turned toward her in terror, meeting her angry eyes. He nearly jumped out of his skin, and sweat formed on his brow within seconds. “H- hey Mikasa!”

The raven-haired girl swiftly slipped an arm around Annie’s waist, bringing the smaller blonde into her side, “Mine.” She announced, her voice about as tame as a wild lion. She pressed her lips against Annie’s temple and strode off with her girlfriend glued to her side.

Annie’s usually bored expression now looked more startled- surprised. “Kasa, why’d you do that?” she asked, once they were a decent distance from Bertholdt.

Mikasa stopped and removed her arm from around Annie, placing both hands on her shoulders instead. “He was flirting with you and looking at you too long. I didn’ like it.”

“If you were jealous, you should’ve just said something.”

Mikasa frowned and crossed her arms, “I wasn’t jealous.”

Releasing an amused giggle, Annie poked her raven-haired girlfriend in the shoulder, “Kasa, you didn’t like that Bertholdt was talking to me, that’s practically the definition of jealous.”

Mikasa just frowned, knowing that Annie was right but not wanting to admit it. Shr hurumphed and squeezed her arms closer to herself. 

Annie’s posture softened and she brought the taller girl into a hug- something she didn’t often do on account of the fact that she didn’t particularly care for contact. “You’re cute when you’re jealous.”

The raven-haired girl squirmed in her girlfriend’s arms, trying to get loose, but Annie’s grip only tightened, “I am not cute!”

“Oh but you are.” She mused, pecking Mikasa’s chin. “The cutest.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit short, but I really found it cute.
> 
> Next chapter will be a Levi x Hange story, as requested. :)


	7. Levi x Hange: Caught (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reader is tasked to clean the dining hall after a food fight and finished late, so they sneak back to the barracks. However they take a wrong turn only to find Levi carrying Hange, who fell asleep inside her lab.
> 
> Requested by Bisexual_Mess_99. Thank you for requesting, I hope you enjoy it!

Ugh, that clean freak had once again punished you when your peers were clearly at fault. You hadn’t the slightest clue what you had done to get on his bad side, but you were determined to get into his good graces before he gave you mess hall clean-up duty one more time.

Here’s the thing about cleaning the mess hall: it’s absolutely disgusting on a normal day. There’s always bits of potato, bean soup, bread, etc. on the floor by the time everyone has cleared out of the hall. Not to mention the drips and spills of drinks, the smears of food on the tables and benches, and the absolute putrid smell that is born when everything is mixed together. 

But, on a day like today, it was an absolute nightmare. You actually found yourself wondering if you died and got sent to hell or something because this was a whole new level of nasty.

There had been a food fight during supper, and your friends had started it. They hardly got punished- in fact they were in the kitchen right now washing dishes, while you were expected to scrub the floors, walls, tables, benches, windows, and the ceiling- yes, the freaking ceiling needed to be cleaned. 

It looked like a titan had consumed the Survey Corps’ entire stock of food and puked it up on every surface in this room, though that thought wasn’t exactly one you wanted to be dwelling on in your current situation- you were already nauseous from the smell itself.

Whatever the case, you were cleaning it up, and it took you like four hours to get it all done. You thought it would take you at least five, but it looks as though you were especially motivated to get done.

Once the mess hall was literally sparkling with it’s cleanliness, you packed up the cleaning supplies and placed them back in the closet whence it came. 

“Ah. Finally done.” You sighed, dusting your hands off against each other. “What time is it anyway?”

You quickly gathered that it was after lights out when you peered down the corridor and not a single light was on. Not to mention the utter lack of people passing by and the absence of stomping feet.

“Well… looks like I’m going to have to be extra careful getting back to my quarters.” You huff with hands on your hips, turning behind you and creeping the mess hall door closed.

Wandering down the corridors at night when the only provided light was that coming from the moon through the windows was a very peaceful experience- well, save for the fact that if someone were to catch you, you’d be on cleaning duty for a month. 

So naturally, whenever you heard the slightest sound, you jumped behind the nearest available object. But they were all false alarms, at least until you were about to pass Squad Leader Hange’s lab.

From inside the door, you make out the sounds of Levi calling Hange’s name in… frustration?  _ Sounded like frustration…  _ Whatever the case, the sound faded into faint grunts, thuds, and then the turning of the doorknob. 

You scanned the area around you for something to hide behind, but ultimately turned up with nothing- you froze against the wall, hoping that if you stood completely still you wouldn’t be noticed.

Levi stepped out into the hallway with Hange in his arms. She was asleep, snoring even with drool making a slow dribble from the corner of her mouth.

He sweetly placed his lips on her forehead and whispered, “You really need to stop falling asleep in your lab, four-eyes. I can’t carry you every time.”

In her sleep, Hange managed to mumble, “Aw, why not?”

There was an unfamiliar light in his eyes when he smiled and answered-  _ wait. He smiled? Definitely weird. _ “Hange,” her name was soft- reverent- on his lips, like it was the name of his god or the Queen of his country. “People will get suspicious if they see me going to and from your room nearly every night.”

“But I love you, you tiny clean freak.” her eyes were closed and her breathing sounded like snoring, but you were starting to wonder if she was really asleep or not. “I don’t care who knows.”

Levi rolled his eyes, but it looked more playful than judgemental, “You may not care, but I do. It could cost us our jobs. You know officers aren’t supposed to be in a relationship with other Survey Corps members.”

Hange pouted, “It’s no fair.”

“You’re right, it’s not.” He agreed, starting to move down the corridor with his back to you. “Let’s get you back to your room, hm?”

With a breath of relief, you relaxed against the wall, hitting it just a little too hard and a little too loudly.  _ Crap. _

“Levi, what was that?”

The Captain froze, “Why should I know, four-eyes?”

Hange’s voice came in deadpanned, “Just turn around and look.”

You briefly considered making a run for it down the hall, but fear struck you in your spot. Levi turned around and locked eyes with you. Oddly enough, his eyes looked more fearful than angry.

“Cadet L/N!” he exclaimed, fingers curling tighter around the underside of Hange’s knees. “Why are you out after curfew?” This came across more forceful, like an actual demand.

Standing your ground, you answered proudly, arms folded over your chest, “You assigned me to cleaning duty, sir. I just finished.”

He clenched his teeth and gulped sharply, “Right, well… get to bed, cadet.” Then he nodded and tried to make off with Hange.

You grinned to yourself, seeing this as your opportunity, “Captain.”

He stopped in his tracks, but did not move to face you again. “Hm?”

“What are you doing with Squad Leader Hange after hours?” You asked with a smug smirk plastered on your face and hands on your hips. You knew you’d won.

Levi looked like a deer caught in headlights, “Um… well, she fell asleep in her lab, so I have to move her back to her room.” based on the conversation you had overheard prior to this, he was telling the truth.

“Yes, but what was all that talk about a relationship you could lose your job for?”

Captain Levi’s eyes narrowed, he was glaring at you, “Is that a threat, Cadet? Because I promise you, that if you try to threaten me, I will urge Commander Erwin to place you on the front lines!”

“How could I be threatening you when I don’t even understand the situation?” Levi’s face scrunched into something that can only be described as conveying pure hatred. You drop the charade, “How long have you two been together?”

Hange responds, sounding almost drunk, “More than a year!”

“Sh! Keep your voice down!” solded the Captain, getting particularly close to her face. “We don’t want others finding out!” just then she decided to stick her tongue out and lazily lick his nose.

He recoiled, face scrunching in disgust, “Agh! Hange!” 

You almost laughed watching him struggle to wipe his nose on something, anything- his shoulder, hers, really just any piece of fabric in reach. It almost made up for all the needless cleaning he’d put you through for things you didn’t do- key word here is  _ almost _ .

“Tell you what, Captain,” His head rose from Hange’s shirt fabric, “I won’t tell anyone about what I’ve seen- and heard- here tonight, and you stop tormenting me with punishments I don’t deserve.” He squinted, pondering your proposition. “We have a deal?”

He pouted, “Yeah, sure. Whatever.”

“Excellent. Well, goodnight you two.” You called quietly over your shoulder, making your way off to your quarters.  _ You’ve finally got the Captain in your debt. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
> 
> The next one will be on in which the reader gives Mikasa a foot massage.


	8. Mikasa x Reader- Foot Massage (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa, after a long day of training, outright demands a foot massage from you. As her significant other, you oblige her wished and she is blown away at your skill.
> 
> Requested by TerraXAqua. Thank you for the request! I hope you enjoy!

Mikasa, your girlfriend, slinked into your room and made her sluggish way over to your bed, on which you were sitting with your feet resting on the floor. She slumped over your knees and released a loud groan. 

“Long day?” you ask, chuckling to yourself, as you dragged your fingers through her sweaty black hair. 

She huffed in reply.

“There anything I can do?”

Your stunning girlfriend pulled herself off your lap and sat on the bed beside you. She lifted her legs and dumped them in your lap, “Rub my feet?”

You scrunched your nose in distaste. “But you’ve been working out all day. Your feet must be really sweaty… and I’m sure they smell to high heaven.”

She squinted and frowned up at you, laying back onto the bed to emphasize that she’s not moving until she gets that foot run.

Rolling your eyes, you began to pull off her boots, tossing them far away from you into some forgotten corner of the room. The harness strap that rests under the arch of her foot slipped off next, followed by her socks. 

Your nose crinkled involuntarily at the distinct smell of Mikasa’s sweat. But instead of shoving her feet off your lap, you simply did your best to breathe through your mouth. It worked well enough for you to set to kneading your fingers into the tender parts of her feet.

Her eyes closed in pure bliss and she released a pent up sigh. Your thumb pressed into a particularly sore spot in her foot and her eyes flew open. She gasped loudly before squeezing her eyes shut again and tensing the muscles in her calves, which you could feel against your lap.

You ceased putting pressure on the spot and turned your concerned gaze to her, “I’m sorry, was that too hard?”  
She shook her head and refused to open her eyes, “No!” her breath hitched in her chest as she cried out, seemingly in pain. “Just keep going!”

You furrowed your brows, “Does it hurt? I can put less pressure on it.”

She cracked one eyelid open and untensed her body, “It hurts, but in a good way. Please don’t change anything.”

Sending a sweet smile down to her, you turned back to your work, rubbing in strong slow motions. She responded to this treatment with pained moans, which she continuously claimed were a sign you were doing it right. 

And when you finally finished, she pulled her legs off you and snuggled into your side, “Thank you, love… I should ask for foot rubs more often.”

“That good, huh?”

She hummed happily, “Best I’ve ever had.”

You snorted, “You must not have ever had a foot massage before ‘cuz I’ve never given one in my life.”

She traced little circles on your forearm, which was draped over her shoulder, “You must be a natural then.”

“Well, I gotta go wash my hands now- they stink… so this Natural’s gonna head to the bathroom.” You mocked, removing your arms from around her and slipping away from her side.

Giggling softly, she called after you, “Thank you. Love you.”

“Anytime. Love you too.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be another Mikasa x reader, but it will be taking place at the beach.


	9. Mikasa x Reader- Beach (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa acts pretty out of character at the beach, and you have a particularly fun time teasing her about it.
> 
> I'm not sure who this was requested by, I can't find the request again, but if you recognize this as your request, please comment below and I'll give you credit for the idea :)

The ocean, more beautiful than you could ever imagine, stretched out in its infinite expanse before your eyes. It glittered like a thousand fireflies, or a hundred stars. Armin’s description hadn’t nearly done it justice- no offense to Armin, of course, just that words couldn’t possibly capture this magnificent thing that sparkled before you.

Without hesitation, you strippped yourself of your boots and pushed your pants up to just below your knee, taking several strides into the water.

Off to your right, Connie, Sasha, and Jean goofed off and splashed in the water like the idiots they were. And to your left, Armin scooped his hands down into the water and brought then back up with a swirly, iridescent object cupped between them- he was completely captivated by its beauty. His dream finally came true after all these years. 

Coming up between you and Armin, Mikasa tiptoed into the water cautiously, holding her boots above out to her sides, above the water. “Eeek!” she squealed as the tide pulled away, receding back into the sea. “It’s squishy! And It’s disappearing!”

You chuckled at your adorable girlfriend, “You’re one of the strongest soldiers in the Survey Corps- probably in the world- and you’re freaked out by wet sand?”

“It’s pulling away from me!” She exclaimed, rapidly pulling her feet up one by one so that she’s not standing on the same unstable part of sand for more than a moment. “I don’t think this is very safe.” She latched onto your arm, tugging you back toward the bank, “Come on… we have to get somewhere more sturdy.” 

By this point you were almost laughing too hard to respond, “Kasa.. It’s fine… it’s safe… promise…” 

“~EEEE!” She shrieked, attempting to climb on top of you to get away from whatever it was that prompted that ungodly noise. “Something touched my leg!”

You rolled your eyes and bent down, bringing up the culprit with you. It was a long strand of brown, soggy leaves. “It’s a plant, Kas.” You replied, snickering as you drop the nasty thing back down into the water. “I think you can handle the plant.”

She frowned and dropped her arms from your shoulders and relaxed a little. She, instead, took to wrapping both hands around your bicep and hiding behind your shoulder timidly. “I still don’t trust this…”

You smirked evilly, “Oh?”

Recognizing the glint that danced in your eyes, Mikasa released your arm, “No, no, no, no, no, no! Please no” She screamed and sluggishly ran toward the shore. However, unluckily for her, your arms caught her around the waist and lifted her into the air. 

“Sorry, babe. Looks like you’re going down with me!” You brought her into your stomach locking her in with your grasp, before falling backward into the water. 

The waves crashed around you and the raven-haired girl in your arms. Once submerged fully, you let go of your girlfriend and allowed yourself to float to the top, where she was already flailing and splashing about.

When your head broke through the surface of the water, you were immediately hit with the back of Mikasa’s hand. She pouted down at you with folded arms, to which you responded with a guilty smile and a shrug. 

“You’re lucky I love you.” she spat, whilst glaring.

Your smile widened to a grin, “Lucky indeed.” then, rising to your feet, you took her into your arms and kissed her hairline. “I love you too, Mikasa.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be a Jean x Marco College AU, as requested.


	10. Jean x Marco- In Sickness and In Health (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jean and Marco are roommates in college, and Jean is prone to sickness. Marco will often go out of his way to take/retrieve notes for the classes that Jean missed, and to take care of him after school.
> 
> Requested by Levihan. Thank you for requesting!

I awoke to the sound of a harsh sniffle coming from the other room. Peeling back the covers, I swung my feet over the side of the bed, pressing them against the rough shag carpeting. I strode to the door whilst rubbing the sleep from my eyes- no doubt my hair needed help too- and pulled it open.

The blinding morning light was already streaming through the window, causing me to scrunch my nose up. I wanted nothing more than to slink back into my room, crawl back into bed, and pull the covers over me to hide my face from the atrocious light. But, it was already 6:15, so I’d only be able to sleep for another fifteen minutes before I have to get up anyway.

An obnoxiously loud sneeze sounded from behind the door to my right, against which I rapped my knuckles, “Jean, you alright in there?”

Hearing no reply, I turned the doorknob and stepped into my dorm-mate’s room. He was bundled up tightly in his duvet comforter surrounded by crumpled up tissues; I mean, they were everywhere- on the floor beneath him, on his bed around him, completely covering the nightstand like a thick layer of snow. 

“So, I’m guessing you’re not going to class today.” I mumbled, stepping to his desk in the corner, where his textbooks and notes lay. I scooped them up and tucked them under one arm. 

He groaned from underneath the mountain of covers.

Smiling sadly, I shuffled to the side of his bed and patted his shoulder, remarking, “I’ll take that as a no, then.” My fingers curled around the comforter and tugged it down just enough to see his face. He was scowling- maybe from the light, maybe from pain- and his pale skin (literally) glowed in the morning light that streamed in from his bedroom window. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get class notes.” 

Then I pulled his covers back up and moved to the window to drag the curtains shut. But, making my way to the door with his notebooks in hand, I called over my shoulder, “I’m going to make up some soup on the stove before I go. Do you think you can heat it when you get up?”

He moaned in agreement, snuggling down further into his bed.

My lips tugged into a grim smile. I hated seeing him like this. Seriously, this was the third time this semester that he’s missed a class due to illness. Last time it was a stomach bug, the time before that it was strep throat. This one, luckily, only appeared to be a common cold, which still would be much worse for Jean than to a healthy person. 

You see, Jean’s immune system is very weak and his body has a hard time fighting off even the simplest of illnesses. According to his mom, a very sweet lady who came over to take care of him when he had strep, he had been this way as long as she could remember.

Still, even seeing him sick constantly, I found that I just couldn’t get used to it. He was my best friend, so no matter how many times I woke up to him coughing, sneezing, puking, or sniffling, I always ended up feeling the overwhelming need to drop everything and stay by his side. 

I expressed this casually to his mother when she was here, and her answer did not reassure me in the slightest. She had said, “I always thought that I’d get used to it too…” 

“You never did?” I had asked, hoping that she’d surprise me and tell me that she actually had.

She just shook her head solemnly as she stroked a piece of sweaty hair from Jean’s face. “No… but I suppose that’s a consequence of loving someone.”

And when her eyes met mine, I noticed a glint there, as if she knew something about me. It was as though she was silently trying to call me out. It wasn’t until later that I realized she was suggesting that I loved him. It was even later still that I realized she was right.

Shaking the thought from my head, I set to making his soup. The broth poured into the pot first, where it would rise to a boil while I chopped the canned chicken breast into little cubes. Following the chicken, I sliced the carrots and celery, sliding them by the kitchen so that I could fetch the noodles from the cupboard overhead. 

I always made sure to keep a stock of chicken noodle soup ingredients. Usually, I’d like to have the cans on hand, but last time I was at the store Jean’s favorite brand wasn’t on sale (i.e. extremely overpriced), and he hated the other brand. Plus, nothing beats home-cooked, right? At least, that’s what Jean reassured me whenever I cooked dinner.

“Jean!” I shout across the room.

I left his door cracked for the sheer purpose of hearing him if and when he needs something. And so, through that tiny crack, his weak voice barely graces my ear, “Hm?”

I step away from the stove and cup my hands over my mouth, “We don’t have canned soup, is homemade ok?” I pause for a moment, but ultimately don’t allow him to answer before I add, “If not, the broth is boiling, so I can leave the other ingredients out!”

There was a guttural groan and a thump followed by loud shuffling. The door slowly creaked open to reveal my sick roommate standing in the doorway, still wrapped in his bedsheets, which pulled over his head like a hood. He blinked lazily, “I can live with just broth…” He groaned with a voice so hoarse, one might assume that someone took a cheesegrater to his throat. “You have to get ready, man… don’t worry about me.”

I snorted and turned back to the stove, where the chicken broth bubbled violently, “It’s no problem at all, Jean. I won’t be late.” I methodically stirred the boiling liquid, though there was no real need to. “Gotta take notes for you remember?”

He ambled up beside me, slouching slightly over the counter. He sniffed his nose clear, which sounded really gross by the way, “Thanks, Marco. You really don’t need to go through all this trouble for me.”

“Nonsense- you’re my best friend. I’d go out of my way for you anyday.” Then, pulling my spoon from the water, I waved it in front of his face. “Now do you want broth…?” I swished my spoon to the left of his face, “Or chicken noodle soup?” I asked, bringing the spoon back to the right. 

His lips tugged into a tired grin, “Soup, please.”

“Alrighty, then.” I mused, dropping the first of the ingredients into the pot. “Soup it is.”

* * *

It was four in the afternoon and I was starting to feel guilty for being away from Jean for so long, but I still had one more set of notes to collect for him. 

Armin still had Jean’s history notebook and he was supposed to meet me in this courtyard at 4:15 pm. It was 4:21 pm now.

Erring on the cautious side, I got here around 4:00 pm, so that if Armin showed up early, I could get back to my ill roommate/best friend/crush- whatever you want to call him- early. So after running around for an hour and a half to collect all of his books and standing in the court-yard for twenty minutes, I finally allowed myself to get off my aching feet and sit on the edge of the fountain.

I only waited there, staring up at the sky, for another five or so minutes before my ears were treated to the sound of running feet against the pavement and the voice of a small blond boy yelling, “Marco! Marco!”

Turning my head from the darkening sky, I straightened by posture and rose from the fountain, “I’m here, Armin.”

He dashed up to me, notebook clutched against his chest. He stopped about a foot in front of me and panted for breath. “I’m so sorry I’m late! My teacher forgot to keep an eye on the clock and lectured a whole fifteen minutes overtime before someone gathered the courage to tell him.”

“That’s alright, Armin.” I took the notebook from his newly outstretched hand and brought it under my arm with the rest of his notes. “Thank you for taking notes for Jean. I’m sure he’ll really appreciate it come exam time.” Armin bashfully shook his head and muttered something about it being ‘no problem.’ “No seriously, you take much better notes than he does normally.”

At this, he chuckled and I did too. “Yeah, that’s true.”

I took a step away from him, “Well, anyways, thank you again! I gotta go now though.” The blond boy nodded and waved me goodbye as I ran off for my dorm.

* * *

Kicking open the door, I strode in carrying Jean’s notes for the day, “I’m home!”

I was answered by a fit of coughing, “M’kay.”

“Can I bring you your notebooks?” by this point, I was already standing outside his bedroom door, waiting for permission to enter.

“Yeah.”

I pushed open the door and slipped over to the desk, dropping the notebooks down. “Sorry it took me so long to get back, Armin was running late.” I turned my back to the desk, leaning against the cheap wood. I got a good look at Jean in the process- or rather, his shape. He was still bundled in blankets and all I could make out was the back of his head.

He rolled toward me, nose still buried in the sheets, “S’okay.”

I picked up the trash bin by the window and brought it to him, swiping the crumpled tissues into it. “How do you feel?” I asked, pressing the back of my hand to his forehead- it was practically sizzling hot. He coughed in response. “Yikes, you’re burning up.” He pulled his comforter down only to pout up at me. “Well, I’ll be right back. I’m just going to take this bowl from your lunch and drop it off in the kitchen, ok?”

Jean nodded and closed his eyes, as I grabbed the bowl from his bedside, still standing still above him.

“How was the soup?”

He cracked an eyelid open, “Good.”

“Good!” I beamed and marched out the door into the kitchen. I dropped his bowl into the sink and leaned back against the counter. Jean and I had one tradition we always upheld whenever he was sick, “Are you ready to come out here and watch a movie? I’ll start making dinner when you’re sitting on the couch!”

He just grumbled from his room and went silent again for several minutes. Then there was a resonant bang and some weird scratching sound. The door swung open and my line of vision shot down to the floor against which my best friend was scooching closer. His face was pressed into the carpet and his legs were doing all the work- not to mention the duvet cover that was still lying over his back.

Laughing heartily, I pushed off the counter and rushed to his side, dragging him to his feet and leaning him on my shoulder. I helped him to the couch and set him down gently, pulling his covers back over him. “There. That better?”

“Mhm.” he hummed as he closed his eyes and grinned.

I crossed the room and knelt by the small two-shelved disk holder by the TV, “What movie’s up for tonight?”

He sniffled and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, “Ngh…” He scrunched his nose, as if it still itched. “Um… something light and funny, please.”

My fingers flitted through our movie selection, “How about Finding Nemo?”

Nodding vigorously, his lips tugged into a grin, “A classic. Sure.”

I popped open the disk player and put in Finding Nemo, handing Jean the remote before heading back to the kitchen to get started on dinner- I would make his favorite, an omelette. “You want your usual, Jean?”

He opened his mouth to answer me, but was interrupted by a sneezing fit. So instead, he just nodded in between harsh blows from the nose. 

“Bless you!” I called turning to the fridge to get everything ready. “And, great, I’ll get started right now.”

“Thanks, Marco. Love you.”

My cheeks flushed red and I gulped back an excited cry, “L-love you too, man.”

I glanced over at Jean, expecting him to also be tomato red in the face, but he wasn’t. He just calmly smiled up at me- he almost looked drunk.  _ Did he take the Nyquil I left him? _ “You always take care of me… why are you so nice???” 

With eyes still widened, I muttered truthfully, “I care about you.”

“I care about you too, Marco!” he shouted loudly from the couch, not even realizing that he was so horribly loud. “That’s why I’m in love with you!” Then he just turned back to the previews of the movie like what he said wasn’t some huge relationship-changing news.

It took my brain a full minute to catch up, “Huh?”

He turned back to me with cheeks finally glowing pink, “But don’t tell Marco though… He might think it’s weird.”

With my heart pounding in my chest, I moved to Jean’s side, taking a seat beside him for a moment, “I don’t think it’s weird. I’m in love with you too.” It felt surprisingly good to finally admit. I pressed my lips to his temple, “Now, I’ve really gotta go make dinner for you.”

“Ok!” he sing-songed happily, completely lost in whatever haze his mind was stuck in. He would have to deal with all this tomorrow morning… assuming he remembered any of it. 

My best friend was in love with me. I was in love with my best friend. Everything was completely perfect… well, except the illness that plagued his poor body. I’d just have to wait for him to recover to take him out on a real date, but for now, this was enough for me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be an Erwin x Eyebrows one-shot.


	11. Erwin x Eyebrows- Appreciation (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Mostly a Crack one-shot) Erwin's eyebrows are the most important things in his life.
> 
> Requested by Erwinseyebrows. Thank's for requesting!

Commander Erwin caressed his eyebrow in the mirror, sensually whispering, “Looking good this morning.” He reached over on the vanity below him, picking up the tweezers. “You almost don’t need this.”

He set to plucking away the stray hairs- there were only a few, as he groomed them every morning and evening. His eyebrows were his favorite pastime: his passion, his pride and joy. 

When all the unruly hairs were removed, He combed through his eyebrows one final time before picking up his makeup bag. 

Before you ask, no, he does not draw on his eyebrows. He accentuates them. He wants them to shine, to pop! Afterall, they were ranked “Most Fabulous” in last year’s eyebrow contest. Of course, the contest was mostly a joke, and Erwin had requested the category himself, but it was still an impressive accomplishment.

So there he sat, coloring his eyebrows to be a rich shade somewhere in between yellow and brown. Tan? Beige? No word seemed to capture the majesty of the color. Personally, Erwin liked to refer to it as the “Golden Shade.”

Unbeknownst to the Commander, another Survey Corps officer had entered the room after having their knocking ignored (not intentionally, of course, but you know how Erwin can get with his brows).

Captain Levi approached the vanity, and, had Erwin not been so engrossed in his handiwork, he would have noticed the tiny approaching man with raven hair in the mirror. The Captain cleared his throat roughly, ripping the Commander’s attention from his eyebrows. 

“Oh, um, Levi… what brings you here?”

He just held up the broom in his hands, “Today’s floor day… you’re room’s up.”

Erwin nodded and turned back to his work, “Ah. Carry on then.” With long, delicate strokes, he brought the brush over his brows, coloring them in to get that perfect tinge that screamed “Power, Elegance, Freedom.”

Levi turned with a disdainful sigh from his superior officer, whom he once respected- as in, he respected him before he entered the room just a second ago to find him whispering sweet nothings to his facial hair. He glanced down at the broom in his hand, “Why can’t everyone be as uncomplicated as you?” Dragging the broom across the cobblestone floor, he muttered, “You’re the only one that understands me…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this one was short, but I genuinely believe that this was one of the funniest things I've ever written.
> 
> Next chapter, as requested, will be a Ymir x Krista one-shot.


	12. Ymir x Christa- Breakup (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ymir and Krista have a nasty breakup, and Ymir is intent on getting her back.
> 
> Requested by attackontitanship2 and TitanGeek. Thank you for requesting!

It had been a week- a treacherous, painful week- since Krista had broken up with me. Said I had been too clingy and possessive, or some crap like that. I mean, can she really fault me for caring about her well-being? 

She just doesn’t get it. She’s the only one who has ever made me feel… anything, really. It’s been so long since I’ve genuinely cared about someone that I’ve forgotten how you’re supposed to act around people you love, so I settled for obsessively trying to make sure everything was absolutely perfect for her. Apparently that was a bit too much…

I sighed and dragged my fingers through my hair, taking long strides despite the dark feeling sitting deep in my abdomen. I couldn’t place it- I really only could describe it as annoyingly unsettling and uncomfortable. Crossing my arms and staring down at my feet, I made my way to my physics class. 

Why am I taking physics in college, you may ask? Because Krista’s taking physics… Usually sit right next to her in the front row, but lately I’ve taken to sitting in the back- as far from her as I can get. Still, I usually spent the whole class staring at the back of her perfect golden head as she was constantly being hit on by the oafish guy, Reiner, at her side. Seems like he was just waiting for the opportunity to steal my seat and my girlfriend.

I take my seat at the far back, pouting as that blond dude with a pro-wrestler’s build slipped into my old spot next to the goddess that was my ex-girlfriend. 

But today, something unexpected happened. He bravely slung an arm around her and brought her cheek to his lips. More surprisingly, she didn’t smack him away. And when he pulled back- even from the back of the room- I could make out a red tinge on her cheeks. 

My stomach, and head, swam wildly, trying to comprehend what I had just witnessed. Krista’s already dating someone… after just a week?

The uneasy feeling in my gut swiftly shifted into nausea, and the spinning in my head transitioned into full-on dizziness. Was I gonna puke? Probably, I don’t know. 

I pushed out of my seat and stormed to the door, rushing to the nearest bathroom. I didn’t particularly care if I missed class, but I did care if I spewed my breakfast in front of the one person I was desperately trying to get back.

Crouching in a stall, expecting to feel a strong rush of nausea at any moment, I waited with heavy breaths passing through my lips. The feeling never came, but knelt there for a good fifteen minutes longer just to be sure.

_What if…_ I frowned at my incoming thought. _No, she didn’t deserve something so mean._ _Well… if she truly was interested in the guy, I don’t reckon she’d care. But on the other hand, if she did have any feelings left for me, it could be just the thing to get her back._

And so, rising up from the linoleum flooring that belonged to the disgusting second floor girl’s restroom, I decided. I would find someone for myself, and if Krista still loved me, she’d get jealous and want me back.

* * *

My plan was currently being executed down to every detail perfectly. I managed to get Reiner’s best friend, Bertholdt, to agree to this plan. He was interested in Reiner, and thought that- if this worked out- this might work in his favor.

And so, with everything going according to plan, Krista was often forced to go on double dates with Bert and I. She had to know that I was watching every time she got affectionate with Reiner. Unfortunately, that meant that I had to hide my disgusted looks (suppressing the need to curl my lips every time they held hands or- worse- kissed was almost impossible).

But it didn’t last long. In fact, it became increasingly apparent to me that my “boyfriend” was constantly staring longingly at  **her** boyfriend. And lately, Reiner’s been returning them, which I suppose is good for me. It does, however, complicate the plan.

After four weeks of pretending to be head-over-heels for Bertholdt, the four of us sat at a small table in this old-timey diner. It’s 50s themed, or something. Krista thought it was cute.  _ Of course she did. _

I had an arm wrapped under Bertholdt’s and Reiner’s arm rested over her shoulders, clutching her close to him. 

Resisting the urge to pout, I shoveled my mouth full of french fries, when Reiner burst out- apparently not able to hold back, “Krista, I can’t lie anymore!”

She glared up at him. _ Holy crap, she’s scary when she’s mad. Is it weird that I actually find it a little cute though? _ “Stop. Can’t this wait til we leave?”

“No.” He replied, shaking his head furiously. “I need to say this…” He pulled his arm away from the angel at his side, and with his other he reached for Bertholdt across the table, who understood the request and brought his hand up for Reiner to seize. “Bert, I’m not in love with Krista… She asked me to pretend to flirt with her to make her ex jealous.”

_ Her ex? Wait, I’m her ex! Did I need to clear out my ears? _

“Truth is… I’ve had a thing for you for quite some time, and I couldn’t wait a moment longer to tell you.”  _ Well, this was the best possible outcome, for me and Bert especially. _ “I understand if you-”

“Reiner…” Bertholdt whispered, turning his gaze up from the table to meet his blond friend’s, “I like you too. Ymir asked me to do something similar for her.” 

“Y- you like me?”

A wide grin spread across the tall brunet’s lips, “Yeah, I do.”

Reiner and Bertholdt rose from the table at the same time, stepping out into the aisle. But it was Reiner who glanced down at the two of us who looked equally confused, “We’ll leave the two of you alone to work things out.” Then they left, hand in hand.

I didn’t know what to say. But I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my lips.  _ She never liked Reiner… she wanted to make me jealous… Does that mean she wants me back too? _

“You dated Bert to make me jealous?” 

I glanced up from my fries, but she was staring down at her own food. I quirked my eyebrow and smirked, deciding to answer more on the sarcastic side rather than the genuine side… What? It’s all I know how to do. “You dated Reiner to make me jealous.”

She hung her head further, ashamed, “Yeah… it was easier than apologizing for all the things I said… I guess…”

I reached across the table to rest a hand on her shoulder, “There’s nothing to apologize for. Everything you said was true. I was clingy and possessive.”

Her fingers gripped the table and her knuckles faded into a whiter shade, “It was still mean to say.”

Pushing back my chair, I slid around the table to sit in Reiner’s abandoned chair, wrapping my arm around her much like he did. “Hey… I’m the one who should be sorry. I pushed you away.” She finally lifted her head, and I noticed that her eyes were dancing with tears. I wiped them away with my thumb, “You should know, though, that I really just didn’t know how to be in a relationship.”

Her head lolled to the side, “Huh? What’dya mean?”

“I haven’t been in a relationship before. I really didn’t know how it worked.” I admitted, scratching the back of my neck. “I haven’t ever cared for someone as much as I care for you.”

Her cheeks flamed bright red, “What?”

“I love you, Krista.” My lips stretched into the kindest smile I could manage- hey, it doesn’t come easy to me, k? I’ve been told I have a serious case of R.B.F. “And, if you’ll have me back, I’ll try my best to be better.”

She grinned that beautiful Goddess-like gin, “Of course I’ll have you back, Ymir! I love you too!”

_ All is right with the world again. I’ve got my Krista, and she’s got me. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next will be a Bertholdt special for his birthday- happy B-day man!


	13. Bertholdt Birthday Special (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bertholdt attends a surprise birthday party for himself only to find that he actually would prefer to have a quiet celebration with his childhood friends- like old times.
> 
> Requested by CrystalNavy

“Come on, come on, come on, come on!” Cried Sasha, tugging my arm in the direction of my dorm. She had already managed to give the surprise party away.  _ Really, what were my friends thinking putting Sasha on distraction duty… she infamously is incapable of secret-keeping. _

I yanked my arm back, slowing my pace to a casual stride, “Geez, Sash. I’m coming alright.” Rubbing the back of my neck, I chuckled at my excitable friend. “I’m sure you don’t want them to know that you let the secret slip.”

Eyes widening, she frantically nodded, “Oh, yeah, right… Take your time then!”

My eyes rolled involuntarily as I stepped up to my door, bracing myself for the inevitable chorus of “surprise!” that would sound as soon as I turned the knob. Finally, I take that leap and shove open the door, being greeted with the very thing I’d been expecting.

“SURPRISE!” About fifty people (exaggeration) immediately rushed me, shouting things along the lines of “Happy Birthday, Bert!”, punching me in the arm, nudging me in the shoulder- stuff like that.

Reiner sauntered up to my side after the crowd dispersed and clapped me on the shoulder with his giant hand, “HBD, Bert. Were you surprised?”

My muscles had tensed as soon as the initial shout reached my ears, but the anticipation of the lie that was about to slip my lips and the understanding that I’d have to make it sound convincing made it very difficult to move any part of my body besides my mouth. “Uh, yeah! Totally!”

Reiner ginned, seemingly proud that he had managed to pull off an effective surprise party for his best friend- last year he had spoiled it for me, and the year before that I’d guessed. Naturally, I wasn’t going to be the one to tell him that he’d have to try again next year to surprise me. “Awesome! That was harder than it oughta be!”

I chuckled lightheartedly, already feeling the suffocating density of the crowd. There is no plausible reason to have this many people in one space- especially a place as small as my dorm. I would probably wait until after cake and presents, or until after my close friends were drunk, to slip away from this party. Not that I wasn’t grateful that my friends put all this effort in to celebrate me… I just don’t really care for big gatherings like this. Reiner never really got that though; he’s always been the kind of guy to have a party lined up for every weekend. 

“Well, now that you’re here,” Reiner began, slinging an arm over my shoulder, “how ‘bout we sing happy birthday, cut into the cake, and open presents?” I sheepishly nod in agreement, wanting to get this over with, when my best friend tagged on an extra explanation, “Then we can crack open the case of beers!”

I rolled my eyes, but I was actually quite happy with the development. The sooner we got those things out of the way, the sooner I could leave.

* * *

The cake was nice, nothing too fancy though: just a plain, white buttercream-frosted cake with the phrase “Happy Birthday Bertholdt” swooped out in curvy blue letters.

And the presents were equally nondescript. From Eren there was a $20 gift card to target. Mikasa bought me a scarf, saying something like ‘everyone needs one.’ Armin gave me a copy of his favorite book; apparently, if anyone could appreciate it, it would be me. Ymir’s present was a disk from one of her favorite bands- for my car, she’d said. Christa put some thought into her gift though; she’d knitted me a pair of gloves because she remembered that I had mentioned losing mine. Sasha just wrapped up one of her cookbooks… I remember seeing it in her dorm last I was over- not that I’d mention it. Connie gifted me a video game, probably so that he could come over and play it on my xbox. Jean bought me a hideous sweater that had the letter B stitched on it. And from Marco was a movie set that I had been wanting for quite some time, except that I had recently bought it for myself.

Annie and Reiner warned me that it wasn’t that they hadn’t gotten me a present, it was that they both went in on one and it hadn’t arrived in the mail yet. I smiled and reassured them that it was more than alright.

* * *

I waited the appropriate amount of time after the beer cans were cracked into before I moved toward the door to leave.  _ Never thought I’d have to say this, but I’m sneaking out of my own place on my birthday to get away from friends. _

But before I reached the door, Reiner latched onto my arm. My head whipped back and I met his eyes. They were soft, but serious.  _ And here I thought he was drunk. _ “Bert. wait.” 

I fought back the urge to tell him no, or that it was my birthday and I should be allowed to do what I wanted. Instead, I complied with his wish and stood still.

“Could you wait here for a second?”

As soon as I nodded my head, he was off, retreating into the kitchen.  _ He’s not going to make me drink one of those nasty beers, is he? _

He was back in a second with Annie in tow, and I was glad to see that there wasn’t a beer can nor a solo cup in sight. “Follow us.” He murmured, pushing past the drunk party guests that “danced” in the center of my living area. 

I tagged along behind Annie and followed the two out of the dorm and down into the courtyard below. My friends led me over to a tree that sat in the middle of a concrete planter-box. We lowered ourselves down on the edge.

“We were going to give this to you later, when the party was over and everyone left, but now seems more appropriate.” He explained and nudged Annie in the side. 

She produced a box from inside her hoodie’s pocket, “Happy Birthday, Bert.” She whispered, as she passed the small wrapped cube into my hands.

I tore off the wrapping paper to find the cheesiest (by far) gift I’ve ever received. It was a small wrist band that bordered on charm bracelet with its thick leather base and single cord down the middle, from which dangled three pictured in little metal frames- one of Reiner grinning like an idiot, one of Annie frowning as always, and one of me in the middle. My lips spread wide, I loved it.

“Thank you both. This is perfect.” I muttered, clasping it around my wrist.

“We’re glad.” Reiner tossed an arm over mine and Annie’s shoulders and brought us into a hug. And when he released me, I saw something in his eyes- something along the lines of sympathy. “Would you like to just sit out here for a bit longer?”

I exchanged looks with Annie. She looked about as relieved as I felt. “Yeah. Thank you both.” We just sat there for so long, talking about very little. Just nonsense. Until people started leaving my dorm room and I felt comfortable returning. But before we proceed up the steps to the second floor, I wrapped both of my close friends in a tight hug. “You both are the best, thank you.”

Reiner punched my shoulder lightly, “No problem. Anything for my best friend.”

Annie just smirked.  _ Was she trying to smile at me?  _ “No problem, and happy birthday, Bertholdt.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next one up is an Eren x Armin one-shot, as requested.


	14. Eren x Armin- Winter Break (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armin doesn't want to go home for the break, because even after he graduated high school, his parents like to take out their anger on him (physically and verbally). Eren decided to take him home with him for winter break.
> 
> Requested by Thesamegoat. Thank you for requesting!

“We’re _so_ _excited_ to see you see you, dear!” My mother's sickeningly sweet voice, like cough syrup, wafted through the phone by my ear. “We’re already _preparing_ for your arrival.” The noise of skin hitting skin is distinctly heard through the speaker.

My face contorted at my mother’s suggestion. She hadn’t been referencing a party or celebration of any sort. She had been talking about the anger- from work, her terrible marriage, etc.- that she was currently bottling up only to take it out on me as soon as I get home for winter break.

I clenched my fist at my side, fingers tightening around the phone in the other hand. My whole body seemed to tense and shake at the thought of coming home. I squeezed my eyes shut and the tears that welled there broke and fell over my cheeks. My voice was weak and wavering when I worked up the courage to answer, “A-actually, I… I um…” I swallowed hard, pushing down my fear and hesitation. “I’m not coming home for winter break!”

There was silence on the other end, and that terrified me more than anything. And when she did speak, that fake tone she used before was gone, replaced by something red hot, angry, and deep, “Excuse me, what?”

“I- um…” I start shaky, but my knack for knowing exactly what to say in the moment when it counts more than ever kicks in. “A friend of mine begged me to come over for Christmas.” It wasn’t a whole lie, Eren did ask if I wanted to spend the holiday season at his house- course I had said no so as not to inconvenience him and his family. “I told him no at first,” Again, partially true, with the exception that there was no ‘then I said yes.’ “But, he really wanted me to come over, and there’s always Spring break for us, right?”

I could practically feel the fumes coming through the phone at this point; I winced. “ _ Armin Arlert.  _ You need to tell your  _ friend _ that you want- no need- to come home and spend your break with your family!”

With my shaking hands in mind, I wasn’t sure how I was able to do what I did next, “Sorry, but I promised.” My finger hovered over the ‘end call’ button- I wasn’t going to wait for her response, knowing she wouldn’t drop the subject. “Anyways, I have to go! Talk to you later!” I hung up, releasing a breathy sigh of relief.

“Who was that, Armin?” I lifted my head up to follow the voice of my roommate to his form- he was standing across the room, leaning against my bed frame. Eren, with his soft brown hair dangling just above his eyes, looked so casual standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. 

I frowned knowing that I must look so awkward, so uncomfortable, sitting here on the edge of the bed with bones as stiff as steel. “Mom.”

I had told Eren about my home life a while ago. It’s one of the reasons he offered to let me stay at his house. I mean, it’s not like there’s much else anyone can do- I’m over eighteen, so I’m not living with them anymore.  _ Could I get a restraining order? Maybe. I might look that up when break’s over.  _ I didn’t know why I ever considered going home in the first place. I didn’t owe them anything- I had been paying for my own education and all my necessities (it’s why I don’t have a car). Eren and I had been paying for the apartment, I could just stay here.

His eyebrows drew in real close; he was worried about me again. “What’d she say?”

“That she was excited to see me. That she was already preparing my greeting.” I hung my head once more, staring down at my knees which were straining to stay pressed together, “You know what that means.”

I didn’t have to look to know that Eren’s face was turning red with fury, I could hear it in his breathing- quick, short, and coming in like forceful punches. But then he sighed and responded softly- almost sounding sad, “My offer still stands.”

“Eren,” I started, dropping my hands to my knees, but still not looking up, “I don’t want to be a burden to you or your mom during the holidays. Mikasa’s already coming over, so your mom already has one extra person to house.”

Footsteps thumped against the floor, getting closer by the second, and the bed dipped down beside me with the weight of a new body on the mattress. “Armin…” His voice was gentle and quiet, and his fingers found my chin, lifting my face toward his, “You wouldn’t be a burden. My mother loves you like a son of her own.”  _ I know. She’s expressed said love many times.  _ “I’m a hundred percent sure that she would rather have you in the house for two weeks than know that you’re with people who hit you or alone in this apartment.” My lip trembled and it was difficult to resist the urge to slump into his shirt and cry. “Also, Mikasa’s not coming this year- she didn’t give me a reason, but she said she had other plans.”

At this my head perked up without the aid of his fingers, “She’s not?”

The smile that graced his lips was still tinged with a bitter solumness when he offered, “Yeah, so mom’ll be lonely with just me. You gotta come.”

Honestly, I wanted nothing more to say yes. I so badly wanted to spend my break- my holiday- with a family who would love me, hug me, and care for me rather than use me as a human punching bag.  _ If I were mean, I would totally send my parents a punching bag for Christmas. _ “Ok.”

“Awesome!” He exclaimed, pulling his phone from his pocket and pulling up his mom’s contact information, “I’ll go tell mom!” Then he pressed the call button and retreated from my room.

This warm feeling spread throughout my body. I couldn’t seem to place it- was it relief, joy? No, those words didn’t quite fit. I couldn’t figure it out until the thought crossed my mind: _I’m safe now._ **Safe.** That’s the word.

* * *

Christmas morning came, and I had been spoiled rotten all week by Eren and his mom. She made us breakfast every morning (9 times out of 10 it was waffles or pancakes), baked cookies and cakes and pies for dessert all throughout the week, helped us build a blanket fort for movie marathoning, brought back our favorite snacks from the store, but- best of all- she’d tuck us in at night. 

I had long since forgotten what it was like to have someone come into my bedroom, pull up the covers and tuck in the sides, ask me if I wanted the fan or nightlight on, tell me they love me, and kiss me goodnight. It felt so nice, and I almost envied Eren for receiving it all throughout his childhood, but I quickly reminded myself that I had it now and I had him too. 

Whatever the case of nightly routines, Christmas morning came and I awoke to a sound that I’d never heard in my life, “Wake up Armin! It’s Christmas!” Called my best friend as he wildly shook my shoulder.

I jolted in surprise- a pleasant surprise though. I hadn’t been so excited for Christmas in years. “Ok, ok! I’m getting up!” I tossed back my thick comforter and kicked my legs over the side of the bed, grinning uncontrollably.

The two of us skittered down the hallway like four-year-olds and knocked on mom’s door.  _ Did I seriously just call her mom in my head?  _ A blush crept to my cheeks; she’s already told me I can call her mom, I’ve just been too nervous to do it- until now, that is.  _ Yeah. I did. _

“Momma!” Eren shrieked through the thick oak door, still pounding his fists against the wood. “Momma, wake up! It’s Christmas morning!”

The door creaked open a second later to reveal mom-  _ still sounds a little weird in my head, but it’s a good weird _ \- standing there rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She was smiling that warm ‘mom’ smile that I’ve come to love so much. “Goodmorning, boys. Did you sleep well?”

We both nodded furiously, being brought into a tight hug. 

“Good!” she announced, ruffling our hair, “Gotta be well-rested for present opening!”

The three of us shuffle to the living room, huddling around the Christmas tree. Mom got up and started passing out the presents, divided them up between Eren, me, and herself. I was baffled by the number that sat before me.

A couple were labeled from my friends from College- I had carried those with me. But there were at least three each from Eren and his mom. I gaped open-mouthed like a fish, “You guys got me presents?”

Eren grinned, bearing his teeth proudly at me and looking about as mature as a toddler, “Of course!”

“You really didn’t have to…” I murmur, thinking about the single present that I got Eren and the one for his mom. “It was enough to let me stay with you.”

Mom crouched behind me and wrapped her arms around the back of my shoulders, “Nonsense, Armin. You’re one of us now- I got Eren four presents, I had to get you the same amount. It’s only fair.”

I relished the warmth of the hug- it had taken me awhile to get to the affectionate nature of this family. Eren would always hug me a lot, and so over the course of several months of rooming with him, I became accustomed to that and stopped flinching at his sudden contact. I guess that it’s probably why I warmed up to Carla’s hugs so quickly. “T-thank you.”

She kissed my temple, “Of course, Armin. You’re more than welcome.”

* * *

Two nights later, wearing the soft sweater that mom crocheted for me; embroidered across the chest was my name written out in swirling letters. The sweater itself was blue like the ocean and the thread that made up my name was tan like sand. Eren must have told her that I love the sea. I’d never been, but it looks so enchanting in pictures. 

“I’ll take you someday.” Eren promised me a couple months ago as we watched Karate Kid. We were at the part where he was practicing on the beach, and I had made a comment about wanting to see the ocean. “I promise.”

Back to present day, my head turned down to look at Eren lying on the inflatable mattress, wearing his matching red sweater, his name stitched in gold- it brought out his eyes even in the dark of the bedroom. _ I still can’t believe he gave up his bed for me. He’s complained many times before that he needs a good, comfy mattress to sleep on, or he’ll wake up with back cramps. He’s such a dork. _

“Hey, Eren.” my voice has grown more confident in the past week, and I don’t feel so afraid that my parents will figure out how to track my phone and drag me away from the happiness I’ve attained here with the Jaegers. 

“Hm?” he listed his head toward me, folding his arms behind his neck.

I scrambled up into a sitting position, my legs crossed over each other, “Why was it so important to you that I come home with you for the holidays? I could’ve just stayed in the apartment, you know.”

He pulled his arms from behind his head and propped himself up on the one closest to me, “That’s easy, Armin.” I cocked my head in response and awaited his explanation. “No one deserves to be alone during the Christmas season, or ever. Least of all you.” 

_ What’s that supposed to mean? “Least of all you?” I’m really nothing special. _

“Don’t say that, Min.”  _ Oops, guess I said that outloud.  _ “You’re everything special.”

I snorted, slapping a hand over my mouth, “Cheesy much?”

Eren pouted and rose to his feet, pushing off the air mattress with a stumble. He crawled up next to me and slung an arm around my shoulders. “Maybe. But it’s true. You’re so special… to me, at least. So important.” He mused, seemingly more to himself than to me.

“But why?” It came out as more of a mumble than an actual question, but he answered anyway.

“Why are you important to me?” He asked and I nodded as I leaned my head on his shoulder gently. “Because. You are one of the smartest, sweetest people I know. You’re incredibly wise and gentle, considerate and kind. And, I know this sounds a bit selfish, but I know you’ll always be there for me. So, why wouldn’t I be there for you when you need someone too?”

I turned my head up to meet his deep green-blue eyes. My attention quickly caught on the red tinge of his cheeks. “Thank you, Eren.”

He playfully knocks his knee into mine, “Anytime, Minnie.”

Usually, I’d scowl at the nickname, but tonight it brought a blush to my own cheeks. I briefly thought about confessing my long-standing feelings for him, but I decided against it, recognizing that it might ruin this perfect moment. 

Apparently, Eren and I were not on the same page, because he squeezed my body closer and whispered in my ear, “I’ve always loved you, you know?”

My heart stopped in my chest.  _ Did I hear that correctly? He meant in a brotherly way, right? Or friendly?  _ But the tug in my heart was unconvinced, “Huh?”

He let his arm drop away from me, leaving my shoulders feeling cold and lonely. But he gave me an even better replacement, bringing his hands up to cup my face in between his fingers, “I love you, Min. Like… in love with you…”

I blinked repeatedly-  _ this couldn’t be happening, could it? Like actually happening? _ I resisted the urge to pinch my arm, knowing it would look pretty weird. “B-but, that can’t be right.” Eren’s face fell and I could feel his hands getting ready to retract. “I’m the one who’s in love with you…” 

Eren couldn’t hold back a laugh, “Armin, that’s a good thing!”

I just continued blinking there, the information having not yet connected in my brain.  _ You know, for someone who’s as smart as you supposedly are, you sure do take a long time to comprehend simple things. _ “I- uh… I think I need a minute to process.”

Eren hands dropped from my cheeks into his lap, folded as he patiently waited for me to be ready to continue.

“Wait, so you like… actually have feelings for me too?”

He chuckled lightly, only barely meeting my eyes, which had boldly turned up to his by this point, “Of course. Just about everyone’s figured it out. I get harassed by Connie and Sasha daily about it.”

_ Connie and Sasha recognized that my best friend had a crush on me before I did? Well, now I really feel stupid.  _ “I’m sorry that I...for not-” I groaned, starting again, “Eren, I’m sorry I didn’t notice sooner.”

He shook his head and wrapped his arms around my torso, bringing me to his chest. “Don’t be. Just know that I love you, and that I won’t ever let anyone hurt you, ok?” He promised as he pressed a kiss to the crown of my head, filling my whole body with a fluttery feeling.

I giggled in disbelief against his soft sweater, “That’s physically impossible, Eren.”

He poked his forefinger into my (very) ticklish side, which caused me to heave with impulsive laughter. “Shut up, Armin! I was trying to be romantic!”

Through my violent fit of laughter I cried, “It… didn’t really… work!” 

“Oh really?” He got that mischievous glint in his eye; it was almost devilish looking. 

My breath hitched as I prepared for the worst. Both of Eren’s hands flew to my midsection, tickling violently. I threw my head back and coughed out instinctive laughs until there were tears pricking at my eyes.

His fingers just kept assaulting my sides though for a good five minutes more before he was finally exhausted too. He collapsed by my side and pulled me into his side. I nuzzled in comfortable, still breathing heavily as I listened to Eren’s matching labored breaths. Admittedly, my breathing was harder than his, but isb;t that what oughta be suspected?

After ten or so minutes, I figured he’d fallen asleep. But he finally whispered into my hair, sleepiness plaguing his voice, “Love you…”

“Love you too.”

**Snore.** _ Asleep already? _

Giggling to myself, I pulled my blanket up over us. I didn’t attempt to move him, he’s far too heavy for my weak arms to even budge. So our legs would just have to dangle over the side for the night, I guess. 

I stretched upward and kissed his cheek, “Goodnight, Eren.” I muttered before lowering my head back down onto his chest.

And as I was drifting off to sleep, I could have sworn I heard him babble- nearly incoherent- and trailing off into snores at the end, “Night, Minnie…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, per request, will be a story about Marco in heaven.


	15. Hey Up There, Marco (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco passes time in the afterlife by making flower-crowns for his friends. But, what happens when Bertholdt finally shows up?
> 
> Requested by MarcoBodt. Thanks for requesting!

I had been sitting up here for a while, watching over my friends on Earth rather than enjoying the afterlife. I figured that, since I came up here so you and don’t have many loved ones to keep me company, I would busy myself with worrying for my living friends.

Mina, Thomas, and some of the other cadets that lost their lives eventually lost interest in watching out peers’ day-to-day interactions and near-death experiences. I gathered that it was because they didn’t have someone down there whom they loved more than life itself (or, more accurately, afterlife). 

Me? I had someone. Out of all my friends, whom I love dearly, there was one who meant the world to me- my best friend, Jean- and I was far too concerned for him to properly focus on enjoying this place.

I anticipated the day that I’d be with them all again. Consequently, I constantly felt guilty for having such a selfish desire. _ I shouldn’t want them to be with me, right? Because then they’d be dead. _

I found that there was one way that I was able to significantly distract myself from the complex internal battle I was undergoing. This was the act of making things for my friends, personal things. I would analyze their personal characteristics, my relationship with them, what would suit them off of aesthetic alone. Finally, I’d come to a decision and personalize some craft specifically for them. I’d then repeat with the next person.

My personal favorite example of this, of course, is the flower crowns. I’d become quite good at making them.

“Hey, Ymir. Do you think Krista- I mean, Historia- would look better in magnolia blossoms or red poppies?” I shout, cupping my hands over my mouth to the tall freckled brunette, who was currently trimming a hedge. She arrived here yesterday, and had already started some project for Krista- said the bush would look just like her in a couple days.

Ymir turned back to me, kind of screwing up her face in consideration. She seemed to have a pretty hefty internal debate going on, and several moments of hesitation passed before she answered, “Red poppy. It’ll stand out better against her blonde hair.”

I grinned, lips stretching widely, “Ah, good point!” And so I went with the delicate red poppies. My fingers worked them, intertwining their stems as softly as I could manage. I must have been working for several Earth hours because when I looked up to the small tablet I had of events going on in the living world, Jean had gone from sitting down for dinner straight to sleeping. 

Yes, I always kept my feed trained on Jean. What? I’ve been worried.

He had a pretty exhausting day today- most of the Survey Corps soldiers died in an excursion to reclaim Wall Maria. Not to mention, all the other bits of drama that came from fighting Reiner, Bertholdt, and the Beast Titan. And, on top of all that, they found out from Eren’s dad’s hidden notebooks that there is an outside world that hates us all. It was exhausting for me, and I was just watching.

Speaking of Bertholdt though, he could be expected to show up any minute now, given that he just passed away on Earth. I sigh of relief at the memory-  _ thank goodness Armin’s alright. _

I place Historia’s finished flower crown in my finished pile. My eyes caught on a particular one from roughly the middle of my pile- one made up of blue hydrangea and white tulips. My fingers tug it out of the pile gently, resting it in my lap. 

“I guess I’m going to be giving Bert his crown sooner than expected, huh?” I mused to Ymir and the others (the others being Petra and her friends, some 104th trainees, Mike and Nanaba, and some others). 

Mina krept over to me, sitting cross-legged parallel to myself, “You really forgave him?”

_ They killed me, yes. But, I’ve learned to see past that; their reasons weren’t as shallow as I’d initially thought. Of course, they could have at least tried to talk it out with me, but really they made a pretty practical decision, all things considered. _

I sighed, making small adjustments to the flower crown in my lap, just to make sure it’s perfect. “Yeah. I’ve forgiven all of them.” Honestly, it was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do, and forgiveness has always been something that comes pretty naturally to me. “At first, I didn’t want to. Because there was so much that I wanted to do with my life still. But, I eventually came to see their side of things, and I understand why they did it now.”

Mina scoffed playfully and shook her head, “You’re a saint, Marco. Literally.”

A light blush invaded my cheeks at the compliment, but I didn’t end up responding because several new people showed up before us. 

It was a dense crowd- today was a rough day for humanity.

I make out a familiar face, Commander Erwin of the Scouts- I’d seen him while watching Jean. It’s a real shame he passed, but perhaps now he can find some peace. And off in the corner, far from everyone, stood Bertholdt. He locked eyes with me in an instant, immediately taking on a guilty contenance.

I just looped his flower crown around my arm and strode over to him with purpose in every step. Schooling my expression, I attempt to make my face appear as neutral as I can so as not to spook him.

As I get closer, I am able to make out the trembling of his limbs, “No need to be frightened, Bert.” I tried, adorning my best smile. It seemed to do the trick, in that he stopped shaking, though the look of fear was swiftly replaced with one of confusion- lips pursed and eyebrows drawn in close.

“Huh?”

I slowed my pace, to show him that I truly meant no harm. “I said there’s no need to be scared.” I chuckled to myself a little before adding, “I don’t bite.”

Bertholdt swallowed down a nervous gulp, but he ultimately appeared to calm down- at least physically. “You… you’re not mad at me?”

Beginning myself to a stop just before him, I placed a hand on his shoulder as gently as I could manage. He still flinched. “For a while, I was.” I answered truthfully; I really had loathed him for a while, which was difficult for me to admit to even myself. I didn’t like hating people, but he and his friends had hurt just about all the people I loved and had taken away my own future. “But, I came to terms with it.” 

Bertholdt only seemed more confused as I went on, “How? I helped kill you! A-and I hurt so many others!”

“You were only doing what you were raised to think was right.” 

He blinked repeatedly, still not quite comprehending my ability to get past the fact that he and his friends literally killed me, betrayed me. “Huh?”

I sighed, still smiling his way, “I forgive you, Bertholdt.”

He gave me his best timid smile after a number of moments filled with nothing but utter silence. He finally cracked when he noticed the crown hanging on my arm, “What’s that?” he asked, pointing at my delicately woven craftsmanship.

“Oh!” I exclaimed as my attention was brought back to the gift. “I almost forgot. This is for you!”

“Is that a flower crown?”

I nodded and pulled it off my arm, extending it out to him, “Yeah.”

His fingers hesitantly curled around the gift, “You made this for me?”

“Of course!” And then, pointing back to the pile of flower crowns, I explained, “I’ve made one for all my friends.”

He brought his arms up to his head and placed my work upon it. Perhaps he didn’t want to offend me, perhaps he genuinely liked it, or maybe he was just happy that I’d called him a friend, but his lips spread into the widest grin I’d ever seen him bear. “Will you show me whose is whose?”

“Sure.” I nodded and waved him to follow me back to my stash. Lowering myself down by the pile and crossing my legs over one another, I gestured for Bertholdt to take a seat beside me. He hesitantly complied. 

After a minute of awkward silence, he managed to stutter, “S-so… which is Jean’s? You must have one- I mean he’s your best friend, right- so you probably made one for him?”

Nodding slowly, my hands moved to the top of the pile. His was the first I made, naturally, but I always kept his on top- it brought me some weird sense of comfort to see it sitting there. “Yeah, I made this one first. I did a lot of research on flowers for everyone, but I spent even more time scouring for the perfect ones for Jean.” I pointed down to the first flower- the most obvious. “This one’s a red rose,” he smiled, clearly knowing the meaning of that one already, “this’s a gardenia, that’s a red carnation, and the last kind of flower is a white peony.” I held it out for him to take, and he did.

As he carefully inspected my handiwork, he asked, “Was it hard to make?”

I scratched the back of my neck, “Um, yeah. Jean’s crown was especially difficult to arrange, but that’s mostly because I was very picky about it. I think I redid his like four times before it was good enough.”

He smiled and set the crown down carefully on top of the pile, taking another between his fingers. “Whose is this?”

“Armin’s.” I reply, recognizing the flowers instantly. “Aster flowers signify wisdom, valor, and faith. Though, I mostly chose it for the first two. Zinnia flowers represent lasting friendship, goodness, and remembrance- I chose pink for the color scheme. And, Clematis is for loyalty, intellect, and courage.”

This process goes on for about an hour. I show him all the flower crowns I’ve made, and the one’s that I’m still planning. He offers to help me with Reiner’s and Annie’s after I expressed that I’d be making one for them too, and I gladly take him up on the offer. 

Forgiveness is hard, but never impossible. For me, it comes easier than it does to most, but it’s still no walk in the park. And so I made the choice to keep forgiving Bertholdt- it’s something that I have to remind myself of every day. It’s an uphill battle, but I know that someday I’ll reach the summit and forgiving him won’t be so hard after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies if this one isn't as good as the others- it was an interesting experiment to say the least.
> 
> Next chapter, as requested, will be a part two of the Older Eren x Marley Nurse one-shot.


	16. Older Eren x Marley Nurse- Pt. 2 (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A collection of scenes about you- the Marleyan Nurse- getting closer to a particular patient, whom had piqued your interest.
> 
> Requested by sof. Thank you for requesting!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPOILERS FOR MOST RECENT MANGA CHAPTERS! READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION! SKIP THE LAST TWO PARAGRAPHS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ UP THROUGH CHAPTER 134!

After meeting Eren Krugar, you simply couldn’t help yourself from trying to meet up with him at every available moment. You found yourself coming in early to talk with him before your shift starts, taking your lunch break with him on that bench he always sat on, staying late in order to talk just one more time before you went home to that lonely apartment of yours.

He always welcomed you kindly- a soft smile usually accompanied by a witty remark. And he always made for interesting conversation.

* * *

“Tell me about your family.” you requested, munching on your turkey and cheese sandwich.

You half expected him to tense, given what he had told you about his mother last time you’d spoken, but he didn’t. He actually scooched a bit closer to you when he said, “Well, I told you about my mom. There’s not much to be said about my dad: he was a doctor. He passed not long after my mother did.” And just when you were about to offer your condolences or a hug, he added, “I have a sister though, I’ve sent some letters to her recently to let her know I’m ok, but other than that, I haven’t spoken to her in awhile.”

Tossing one leg over the other and finishing off my sandwich, I licked my fingers clean, humming against my fingertips, “What’s she like?”

He took the crumpled sandwich napkin from the palm of my hand and tossed it into a nearby trash bin. “She’s pretty strong from doing house work. Not very vocal though; she tends to keep her thoughts to herself. She closed off when our parents died.” You tentatively placed a hand on his knee to convey your sympathy. “She’s pretty protective of her loved ones though.”

“She sounds wonderful.” You mused as you pulled your bag of chopped up carrots from your bag, which sat at your side, opening it up and pushing one into your mouth. And, through your crackly chewing, you managed, “Do you miss your friends and family?”

He peered down at you, a stark contrast to his usual staring straight ahead, smiling half heartedly, “Yeah. Everyday.”

_ Odd. He told Falco he didn’t want to go home.  _ “Then why are you lying in order to stay here?”

His snort was unbecoming, and yet, you couldn’t help but find it attractive. There was something about him… something that made everything he did seem beautiful. You couldn't place your finger on it. “So you were listening when I was talking to Falco!”

You tensed, a fierce blush flying to your cheeks, “What! No! I- I just- I happened to overhear. That’s all!”

“Right… sure…” He was still smirking like an annoying idiot when you forced your head to tilt up and your eyes to meet his. “To answer your question, though, I miss them, but we weren’t on the best of terms when I left. I feel that I should give them some more time and space to cool down.”

You couldn’t comprehend what he was saying.  _ I can’t imagine that someone could still hold a grudge after their loved one had gone through something as horrible as war. On top of that, he almost didn’t make it out.  _ “I’m sure they’re worried about you, even if you did send a letter. You really should go back soon- I know I couldn’t be mad at someone I love after they return from a gruesome battle.”

He playfully nudged you with his shoulder, “Thank you, Y/N.”

“Of course!”

* * *

Slumping down on the bench beside Eren Kruger, you sighed heavily. The loneliness in your life was getting to you- badly.

“What’s up, N/N.” He tried on a silly grin and a teasing tone of voice, but it didn’t make you feel better in the slightest.

You shook your head, giving in. Why hide from him? After all, he won’t be here for much longer. It’s really only a matter of time before the other doctors figure out he’s not actually sick at all and send him home. Because of this, you don’t really have to worry about pushing your only friend away by being too honest. In fact, if you were to guess, you’d say he’d be out of here by the end of the week. “Guess the loneliness is finally catching up.”

“Loneliness?” His head turned up to gaze at the beautiful blue sky- the kind that should be able to momentarily remove all tha sadness from the world with its infinite expanse. The kind of sky that, with it’s stunningly bright blue color, inspires artists to paint it onto a canvas and singers to write songs. But on a day like today, it was just an aching reminder of how small and lonely you are in this giant world.

Hanging your head, you bit back tears, each containing the truth of your situation. Unfortunately for your pride, they slipped past your defense and down your cheeks. “My family… They were living in the Liberio internment zone…” He remained quiet and kept his hands and comforting touches to himself, waiting for you to continue. You choked on a sob, but ultimately pushed it down. “But… to make room for the incoming residents from Fort Slava and surrounding areas, they were relocated to an internment zone- I’m not even allowed to know which one yet…”

“And because you don’t know where they are, you can’t write or visit.”

You nodded, squinting at your blurry feet; your eyes had made it nearly impossible to see anything at all. “Yeah… and it’s been a while since I had any friends.” it hurt to be so truthful, but you had to admit that it kinda felt better to get it off your chest. “Talking with you is really the only social interaction I get daily.”

“You can count me as your friend.” He said, finally making contact with you via a hand on your back. “Even after I go home, I’ll still consider you a friend.”

You leaned your head down on his shoulder and sucked in a calming breath, “Thank you, Eren Kruger… thank you.”

* * *

He waved you over enthusiastically today. You hadn’t even raised your breakfast apple to your lips before you caught sight of his waving arm, held high in the air. You grinned and ambled over. 

It had been well over a week since you met him, and just seeing him set your heart on fire. You weren’t so sure what it was about him that drove you crazy, but you found yourself drawn to him in a way you’d never experienced before. Maybe it was his smile, maybe his eyes. Or perhaps it was the simple fact that you felt abandoned in the world until he entered your life. Whatever the case, this mystery factor had you falling for him- and quickly.

Slumping down beside him, you casually slung an arm around his back, ignoring the tingly feeling in your chest as usual.  _ Why does he make me feel this way? _ You never had an answer. “Morning.” You greeted cheerily, biting into your apple.

“G’morning, Sunshine.” Your breath hitched at the deep timbre of his voice and just like always it sent shivers down your spine. “How’d you sleep?”

He wrapped an arm around your shoulder, and the two of you were now practically holding each other and snuggled into one another’s sides. However, it didn’t stop you from nuzzling closer into him. “Well. You?” You inquired through your chewing.

“Better than usual.” 

“Mmmm.” you hummed, taking another bite. And, still munching, you continued, “Good dreams?”

From the corner of your eyes, you made out his wistful grin. “Yeah.” he breathed, as if the dream still clung to him in the most wonderful way.

You swallowed your bite of apple, “Oh? Whatever about?”

“You, of course.” He quipped, and though you knew it was a joke- you couldn’t help the blush that took to your cheeks. You forced out an annoyed laugh anyway. But then he sighed and his expression turned more somber, “But, in all seriousness, you were in my dream.”

“And just what was Dream-Me like?” You teased and rose to your feet, pulling your arm out from behind him and causing his to fall to his side. 

“Pretty much exactly like you.” He admitted as you toss your apple core into the trash bin. “Except, there was one fundamental difference.”

“Oh?” You slid back into his side, though your arm remained in your own lap this time. “And what was that, exactly?”

“You loved me.”

That simple response stopped your heart in your chest, and air could no longer seem to get to your lungs. Your nerves were on fire and your cheeks felt warmer than ever before.  _ Wait? Does this mean he knows?  _ You mentally shook your head.  _ No, that couldn’t be… he said it was different than the real me. _ “W-weird.”

He moved away from you by a hair, seemingly to give you space, “I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable.”

“N-no. Why would it. Just a dream, right?” You kind of wanted to kill your brain for being so gosh-dang stupid.  _ But, what if this means that he likes me! If I like him in his dreams, then maybe he actually has a thing for me. _ You pursed your lips and had to catch yourself from verbally saying, “Shut up, Brain.” 

His expression fell a little, and he looked almost disappointed, “Well…”  _ Well? What’s that mean? _ “...if I’m being honest… I guess I kinda hoped that it wasn’t just a dream.”

Your body felt like it was buzzing.  _ Am I going to explode? Probably. _ “Huh?”

He sighed heavily, pushing his hair behind his ears, “I’m sorry… I know I’ve only known you for a little over a week, but I just feel so… connected to you.”  _ Wait… is he trying to say he likes me?  _ “I know that must sound weird…”

_ Yeah, no kidding. Could you maybe stop being cryptic.  _ “Not at all.”

He smiled down at you with gratitude in his features, “I guess, what I’m trying to say is that… well… I like you.”  _ HUH? _

Your brain felt like it stopped functioning completely and after a good two minutes of staring at him like he’d grown two extra heads, you finally managed to force your brain to start doing it’s job again. “I- I, uh, like you too.”

His grinned widened into the biggest smile I’d ever seen him make. It was so genuine, so happy. You could tell he was overjoyed. “You do?”

You nodded, not trusting your voice to say that again.

“Are you going to the festival tonight?”

Chuckling, you teased, “You’re not planning on asking me are you? The doctors may be dumb enough for you to fool into thinking you have PTSD, but I severely doubt they’re stupid enough to let you go.”

He shook his head, “No. That’s not what I meant.” he placed a hand on yours sweetly. “I was actually going to ask if you could not go.”

You listed your head, “Huh?”

“I pulled some strings and asked a friend to dig around, and I found out where your parents are living. I even got you a train ticket there.” He admitted, holding out a ticket and a paper with an address written on it, “I bought them for today without thinking, so if you’re ok with missing the-”

You threw yourself on him, being careful of his leg, of course, and held him tightly in your arms, “Thank you so much, Eren! Of course I don’t mind missing the festival.”

“You’re welcome, Y/N.” He timidly tried out kissing you on the temple. “Enjoy the visit to your family. Maybe I can meet them sometime.”

You kissed his cheek and stood from the bench, deciding that you needed to get started on your work and finish your duties early so you can pack, “I think they’d like that a lot- I’d like that a lot.” You slid the ticket and address in your pocket. “Thank you again. I’m going to go get my stuff done so I can leave early, but I’ll see you when I get back, ok!”

“See you then!” he called, waving as you entered the hospital building.

Sadly, that was the last time you saw Eren Kruger. And when you were interviewed by the military, they informed you that his real name was Eren Jaeger and he was from Paradise- not that you cared where he was from. But, knowing that he lied to you this whole time, broke you up inside. 

And now, seeing the barrage of colossal titans marching your way, and knowing that it was Eren who was controlling them, you felt like the man that you had known was gone. _Maybe he never existed. Maybe he just wanted to trick me._ _But then again, why would he do that? He asked nothing of me. In fact, he purposefully relocated me on the night of his attack on Liberio._ You shook the thoughts from your head. He lied nonetheless and you shouldn’t waste your final hours fretting over questions that you’ll never learn the answer to in this life. He wasn’t going to answer them because you wouldn’t be able to ask them. You’d die without knowing if it was all a trick or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this ended off on a sad note, but I don't know how the manga ends, so I was unable to write out a happy ending- for now, at least. I may write a part three when we find out exactly what happens (and if someone wants that, of course).
> 
> Next one-shot will be a Levi x Reader, as requested.
> 
> Also, school is starting back up again tomorrow, and thus my updates may start to come in slower. I will so my best to keep up with requests, but please be patient with me. Thank you all for reading, and I hope your 2021 is a great year!


	17. Levi x Reader- Blizzard (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You find Levi lying unconscious in the snow, and take him back the the Survey Corps Barracks and you take care of him.
> 
> Requsted by Bright_eyes66. Thank you for requesting!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to be posted yesterday, but there were some unforeseen errors. I believe AO3 was having some sort of technical difficulty (though it could have been an issue on my end, idk... you never know), but it appears to be fixed now. 
> 
> For this reason, I was also unable to get to requests that came in yesterday. But fret not, I'll be getting to them as soon as this chapter is posted. In fact, I'll probably reply before anyone even reads this, lol.

Sending up your smoke signal, you could hardly believe your own eyes when you saw the figure lying there in the snow- Humanity’s Strongest lying there quivering and close to death. What were you expecting, honestly? Erwin had sent you and several others out to find and retrieve the Captain.  _ Guess I never thought I’d actually be the one to find him. _

He was lying in regular clothes- nothing meant for this kind of weather- and he was curled up into a little ball against a snowbank. Was he trying to converve heat by scrunching up like that?  _ He does know that cuddling up in the snow isn’t exactly a good way to keep warm, right? _

Ultimately, you decided not to question your superior officer and help him instead. You swiftly dismount your horse and skitter up to Captain Levi’s side, crouching down next to him.

You turned him onto his back and caught sight of his cold, chapped lips.  _ Crap, is he breathing?  _ Dragging your hand up to rest below his nose, you checked for airflow coming in and out of his respiratory system. Much to your relief, you felt a soft warm breath on the tips of your fingers.

“Captain Levi.” You called, hoping that his eyes would flutter open and that your job would get a million times easier for you. Unfortunately, Levi is a stubborn one, and he remained blissfully unconcious- well… blissfully may not actually be the right word. You patted this frozen cheek with your clothed hand, “Come on, Captain. You gotta wake up, Sir.” Still nothing.

You sighed. You had known this was a possibility, and you were amongst the chosen because you were strong. You could handle this. Besides, he was a pretty small man- short even by women standards.

And so, you scooped uo the little man in your arms, groaning because, man, he was heavy! For such a small guy, he weighed a million pounds! Must be all that muscle weight.

You crossed back to your horse and hauled him atop it, huffing and puffing under all his weight as you sputtered to push him into a steady position. Then, kicking a leg over your mount, you pressed the Captian’s back into your chest. 

_ I brought a blanket, didn’t I?  _ You thought, thinking back to that moment of sheer genius you had, when you ran back to your room to snatch up the fluffiest blanket you possessed. You reached back into one of the sacks that draped from the horse’s sides.  _ Aha! The blanket! _ You pulled the plush thing free and draped it around the two of you, the best you could given your current position. You held the blanket closed with the same hand that held the reins, while the other clutched your superior officer close to you.

“That should keep you warm… hopefully.” You mused, knowing full-well that the Captain couldn’t hear you- not in the slightest.

The Survey Corps Barracks weren’t that far off, at least, not on horseback. On foot, it would probably take all night. But you made it back with the Captain just after lights out, which was actually a bad thing, given the rules about lights out.

You groaned, slumping your shoulders. You couldn’t take him to the infirmary now. The nurses all retire to their quarters after lights out.  _ How do the patients fare at night without the nurses on duty?  _ You ask yourself, trying to remember what it was like when you spent a couple nights in there.  _ Wait, isn’t there like a bell system? Yeah… I think the patients all get bells and cna ring if they need something. _

Whatever the case of nights in the infirmary, the nurses don’t like to take new patients in the night- they get real grumpy if you wake them up to deal with something, unless you’re literally bleeding out in front of them.

You’d just have to take him back to his quarters, you guess. Commander Erwin had mentioned this- that all of the recon team members were chosen because they were 1. Strong enough to lift/carry Levi, 2. Possessed medical knowledge that would almost definitely be sufficient, 3. Were trustworthy.

Given his second reason, you were one of the chosen few because you were capable of treating something like this on your own.

He had done this for two reasons, he said. One being that there was a possibility of being caught out there and needing to treat his wounds out there by yourself (it’s why he had everyone pack medical supplies in their carrions). The other being that we could come back past lights out- which was the situation you found yourself in.

You trodded into the stables and dismounted, pulling Levi off once your feet were firmly rooted against the ground and leaning him against the wall until you finished with your horse. You left him all swaddled in the blanket for the time being.

When your horse was taken care of and the bags of medical supplies, food, and warm clothes were hung over your arm, you hauled Levi to his feet with an arm under his. You held him up from his back alone, allowing him to lean against you.

The two of you stumbled into the Barracks, through the halleways, and through the door of his quarters. Better his than yours, you suppose, given that you were in a room with ten (or so) other people. You helped him to his bed, letting your bags slide down to the floor, and assessed his current state. Luckily for you, he didn’t seem to have hypothermia, meaning that you wouldn’t have to take off both of your clothes and sleep next to him like that.

_ Oh… his clothes…  _ That’s right. His clothes were soaked through and there was no way you could put him to bed like this, even swaddled in your blanket, even snuggled in his covers. You scrunched up your nose and awkwardly fumbled with his shirt.

Once it was off and tossed onto the floor behind you, you couldn’t help but gaze at his muscular chest, transfixed on the sheer power held in such a small package. You shook all the intrusive thoughts from your head, though the blush still lingered, and pulled the new shirt from your back, bringing the soft fabric over his head and clumsily shoving his arms through. Then you thought about the pants.

You screwed your eyes shut.  _ If I got all blushy just from changing his shirt, how bad will it be with the pants? _ You silently curse whatever sadistic deity did this to you, as you tugged the pants from your Captain’s toned legs. The wet material clung to his skin and really fought against coming off, but when they two were on the floor, you slid the dry ones on with little problem, trying to keep your eyes trained on the pants and not on his impressively muscled thighs.

You grabbed a tiny hand towel from your bag and rustled it through his dripping hair in an attempt to dry it just a bit. Then you swaddled him back up in your blankets and drew his own covers up to his neck. You sighed,  _ I’ll check back with him after I washed his clothes and then see if he needs medical attention,  _ you conclude as you gather his wet clothes from the floor and bring them to his own private washbasin in the other room.

When you were done, you hung them up to dry and left the bathroom, returning to Levi’s side. You brushed a strand of- now dry- hair from his face, and whispered softly, “Captain Levi, can you wake up for me, please?”

Just like before, he didn’t stir. 

Now taking to shaking him lightly, you spoke up louder, “Captain. I need you to wke up. That isn’t a request, sir.”

He groaned a bit, but his eyes remained closed. And, though his breathing was disrupted by the groan, it soon fell back into soft little puffs rising from his lips. 

You rolled your eyes, moving him more forcefully now and speaking at a normal volume, “Captain Levi. You need to wake up.”

No response. And just when you were about to try raising your voice to a less ‘indoor’ level, you heard a meek voice quip, “I don’t need to do anything.”

Your eyes flitted back over to his, which were now open. Your e/c eyes locked on his steely blue ones, and suddenly it felt like all the air had been sucked out of your lungs. There was no denying that the Captian was attractive- not that you ever tried to. “C-Captain Levi!”

“Don’t tell me you’re surprised to see me… you’re in my room after all.”  _ Is he being serious? I can’t tell?  _ My question was cleared up quickly though, “So you pulled me out of the snow?”

You nodded feebly, not trusting your mouth to say the things you wanted to say while such an attractive man was present- and conscious.

“Thanks.”

You only nodded again, and moved away from the side of the bed. You froze when you reached the door of his quarters, turning back and finally opening your mouth, “Can I get you anything? Tea, maybe?”  _ He likes tea, right? I think I’ve heard that somewhere. _

His smile was weak and probably forced, but it was there nonetheless. “Yes, thank you.” You turned the doorknob, ready to step out without realizing you hadn’t the slightest clue what he liked. “Black tea, no sugar or cream.”

Turning back and flashing a sheepish smile, you slipped out the door into the hallway, tiptoeing down to the kitchen. If you were caught, it didn’t much matter whether the tea was for the Captain or yourself. It also wouldn’t matter whether he had sent you for it. You’d get in massive trouble. And yet, you still found yourself boiling water over the fire and pulling out the tea leaves.

When the liquid turned that dark brown color and sent steam floating through the winter night air, you carefully made your way out of the kitchen and into the hallway.  _ Sure hope no one comes out here because there’ll be no hiding. I cannot jump out of the way with this in my hands. _ You put the full weight of your body on each step to steady yourself and force your body to move slower through the hall.

You sighed of relief when Captain Levi’s door presented itself finally. You turned the handle and stepped back inside, noting that your superior officer was sitting up in bed awaiting his hot drink. You brought the teacup right to him, lowering it gently into his outstretched hands. 

As he sipped the black tea from the white cup, you smoothed your hands over your uniform pants. The tension could be cut with a knife, or maybe in this case, a teaspoon. You fumbled for something to say, finally remembering what you were here for after a moment of mental grumbling, “Do you feel alright? Any wounds I might need to tend to? Anything numb? Are you warm enough? Are you hungry?” You rambled, resulting in you feeling more embarrassed than when you couldn’t think of anything to say at all.  _ Should’ve just kept my mouth shut. _

He seemd unfazed, barely looking at you from over the rim of his cup, “I can wait until morning for food. And, no, I don’t feel any pain or numbness.” He paused hesitantly, almost as if he wanted to say something more but wasn’t sure if he should. You suppose he opted to say it anyway, “But, I am still rather cold.”

You pursed your lips thinking, “There’s no fireplace in here… do you have anymore blankets?” He shook his head. “Um… I’m sorry, I didn’t pack any more. Do you want me to go fetch one from my room? I think I have a couple.” 

He looked at me deadpanned, almost like he was judging me for an act of stupidity. “Nevermind. I can make due.”

Creeping closer to the edge of his bed, you sat down on the corner of the hard mattress, asking innocently (seriously, you really don’t have a clue), “Did you have something in mind?”

He bashfully glanced up from his hands, eyes meeting yours again, “It was nothing.” What was truly odd was that the Captain appeared embarrassed- flustered even. It was so uncharacteristic.  _ Did I make the tea wrong? Gosh! What if I poisoned him! _ “Just something I thought I heard once.”

You listed your head, curious, “Hm? And what was that?”

Shaking his head, Captain Levi dismissed you with a wave of his arm, “Don’t worry about it. You’re pretty good with medical-related knowledge, if you didn’t think of it, I’m sure it wasn’t a good solution.”  _ Is it just me, or are his cheeks a little red? He was completely pale a second ago. Maybe it’s the lighting- or it could be from the cold and maybe I just didn’t notice.  _

You gasped softly, cheeks heating up fast.  _ No. Surely he wasn’t thinking about…  _ “U-uhm… I think you’re thinking about... “ You gulped your nerves down, “...I’m pretty sure you’re thinking of the treatment for hypothermia.”

His eyebrows furrowed, “And that’s not what I have?” his voice was calm, he didn’t even really sound that confused; his voice was monotone, bored almost.

You shake your head in response, the movements of your turning head slow and deliberately, “No. But it still might take you a while to get warm again.” The bluh still hadn’t left your cheeks. Just knowing that he had been thinking of such a solution and was willing to entertain asking you to do it sent shivers down your spine.  _ Didn’t think he’d like that solution much, even if he did have hypothermia. You know, considering his clean-freak tendencies. _

“Do you think you could come over here anyway?” He asked, the boldness in his eyes wavered for a moment and he looked so helpless and awkward in that split second. “I think that having someone next to me for a while will help.”

Your cheeks seemed to increase their temperature even more. You try to move your lips to answer him, even if it’s just a sputter, but nothing comes out. Forcing your head into a stiff nod, you push off of the bed’s corner and crawl up next to him.

He pulled the covers back and gently let them fall on top of your legs- you were still sitting up. Your back was tense and your hands were folded in your lap. He wasn’t touching you though. There was still a noticeable gap between your thigh and his body. 

“You just going to sit there all night?” There was that deadpanned tone again, and so you timidly scooched down under the covers until your head hit the edge of Levi’s pillow.

Body still stiff like stone, you laid waiting for Levi to make the move. But he didn’t. In fact, when you turned your head just the slightest to get a good look at him from your peripheral vision, you noticed his own tenseness. It would seem that he was just as nervous as you.

Mustering up every ounce of courage in your body, you bravely closed the gap between your two bodies, pressing yourself into his side and nuzzlling your head into the crook of his neck. It didn’t go unnoticed by you that Levi’s breath had hitched at your close proximity.

“I’m glad it was you.” He mumbled into your hair after a solid ten minutes of silence.

“Hm?” You raised your head to look at him, your nose practically buried in the side of his cheek.

He smiled- this time it didnt look derisive or judgemental, or even sarcastic. It was sweet and honest, “I’m glad that you were the one who found me.” You were well aware that Levi wasn’t exactly what you’d call a touchy-feely kind of person, and that’s why you were rather surprised that you were getting away with having your face touch his. You were even more surprised by Levi’s snuggling closer. “Certainly wouldn’t have wanted any of those other buffoons to crawl into bed with me.”

_ Huh? What the heck is that supposed to mean? Is he saying he not only needs this, but he wants it too? Nah… that doesn’t sound like the Captain. _

“Goodnight, Y/N.” He whispered so softly that one might think your eardrums would burst if he spoke even a second louder. “Thank you for taking care of me, means a lot.”

Closing your heavy eyes and breathing in his unusually earthy scent (probably because he’d been lying in muddy snow for who knows how long), you started dozing off to sleep and muttered, “G’night, Captain.”

You could feel his lips widen into a smile on the crown of your head, “You can just call me Levi.”

The blush that had only just faded quickly crept back, overtaking your cheeks once more, “Goodnight then,  _ Levi _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be an Levi x Hange one-shot, as requested. It's a special feature birthday chapter- the birthday being the reader's.


	18. Levi x Hange- Birthday (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hange tries to make you a birthday meal and Levi picks on her, saying she's going to fail. Surprisingly, she doesn't and Levi is forced to admit that he was wrong and make it up to her. All in all, their goal is to make your birthday special- a goal they accomplish.
> 
> Requested by Bisexual_Mess_99. Happy Birthday and thank you for requesting! Hope your birthday was amazing!

Hange, weilding a large brass pot full of water, which Levi swore he didn’t see her measure, lit the wood-fueled stove and placed the pot down to boil. “Calm down, Levi, I don’t see why you’re so worried here! I’m just as good at cooking as I am at studying titans!”

Levi groaned and slapped a hand against his forehead, “We’re doomed.”

Snorting, Hange turned her back to the stove, which only made Levi more nervous as could be seen in his wide eyes, “Oh, come on! I’ve made plenty of good discoveries!”

“And how many times have you nearly blown your face off?” There was only silence in response… it was a telling silence. Levi firmly placed a hand on his hip, adding, “Or had a titan almost bite your head off?”

“Tch.” she scoffed and turned back to the water, which she was now glaring at, as if trying to will it to boil instantly. “That was all a part of the process, Levi-dear.”

He rolled his eyes, “And is blowing up the kitchen a part of the cooking process?”

“Course not!” Hange exclaimed as she bent down to pull a large glass bowl from a cabinet. “Unless it happens. Then it was totally a part of the plan.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Levi turned and made his way to the kitchen door, “Well, I’m not going to be here when it inevitably does, Four-eyes.” He slipped into the hall, the door still propped open just enough for his head to pop through. “No need to lose two officers to this meal.”

The Squad Leader just stuck out her tongue and scrunched up her face mockingly, as he slipped out the door. 

* * *

“Levi-Darling!” sing-songed the Survey Corps officer with greasy brown hair. “Come down and help me set the table, will you?”

The Captai perked up at the dinner table, head rising from his book. He pushed back his chair and set his book on a nearby counter out of the way. “Ugh, yeah.”

He helped her move the food onto woven placemats, set out the plates and utensils, fold the napkins elegantly on the plates, and even set out cards with everyone’s names.

Peering down into the pot of pasta, he was pleasantly surprised to notice that not a single noodle was burnt. “They’re not undercooked, are they?”

She set two pots of sauce down on the table and shook her head, “How little do you think of me?” She jested, prodding his rib with her elbow.

His face contorted into one of (fake) disgust at her proximity. He pulled away from her, announcing, “I’m going to call the others down to eat.”

Levi slipped out the door once more, leaving Hange to make a couple more finishing touches to the set-up before everyone came down, most importantly the cadet they were celebrating- you.

* * *

There was a rap on your door, and you and the other cadets in the room all turned their heads toward it. 

“Come in!” shouted the cadet from the bunk above you.

The doorknob turned and in walked Captain Levi. You quickly took note of his expression- his scowl was less intense today. “Dinner time.” He muttered, but unlike usual, he stayed in the doorway until every person before you was out the door. 

You were the last person out the door, and when you passed him, he rested a hand on your shoulder, “Happy Birthday, Cadet”

Smiling bashfully, you nodded to communicate appreciation, following him and the others down the corridors to the mess hall. When the doors were opened before you, the smell of your favorite meal flooded your nostrils. It was pasta, but how did they make it? It wasn’t something that the Survey Corps had the ingredients for onhand. The second thing you noticed was the table. It was set with a white cloth, candles, the nice glass dishes and silverware, and cute little folded napkins.

Everybody found their name and sat down in their spot. You found yours quickly, seeing the one that read “It’s Your Birthday” on it. You slipped into your seat, blushing maddly. They had done all this for you?

Hange came in bearing the smell of sweet smoke. Your head whipped around to see her carrying in a large, frosted cake. She set it down above your cake, “Happy Birthday, Y/N.” she cheered, repeating what was written in delicate, sugary letters on the cake.

Your lips quivered; never had anyone made this big of an effort for your birthday, “Thank you guys.”

All the people around you smiled and nodded knowingly. It would seem that everyone pitchced in for this. 

“Well, enough of the sappiness! We gotta sing, so that Y/N can blow out the candles, so that we can eat dinner, so that we can eat cake!” Hange exclaimed with hands placed firmly on her hips, “Now, everybody with me! Haaaaaa-”

And that’s when the whole table erupted into chaos, “Happy Birthday to you…” (We all know how the song goes).

Eren, who was sitting across from you, sounded like a dying goat. Hange was screaming the words while Levi desperately slapped her shoulder and elbowed her to get her to shut up. Sasha’s words were garbled because she already had shoved a piece of bread in her mouth, and Connie’s words were interpellated by laughter because of Sasha.

But it was a blast, no matter how awful the song sounded.

When it was over, just about everybody in the room hounded you to blow out the candles and make a wish. So, you closed your eyes and thought to yourself,  _ I wish that nothing changes at all. _ It was a big ask, knowing the nature of your job, but you loved pretty much everyone here and you would hate to see even one of them go.

You opened your eyes, whispered “Thank you all,” and blew out the candles. 

It was truly a wonderful birthday, and all the food tasted excellent, despite what Levi had predicted. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be an Armin x Krista New Year's Eve Special, as requested.


	19. Armin x Krista- New Year's Eve (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armin invites Krista to his adoptive parents' New Year's Eve party so that she can finally meet them. Of course, his parents love her instantly and spend the whole time doting on her and Armin.
> 
> Requested by Asperger Hero. Thank you for requesting!
> 
> Sorry this took so long, I had a major case of writer's block while I was trying to also juggle school work. But, I'm back now and I'm hoping that I won't hit a snag like this again for a while.

“So who’s this lovely girlfriend of yours we’ve heard so much about?” asked mom, throwing one leg over the other. She was sitting on that pristine white sofa in the living room, while my dad and I both sat in the matching armchairs across from her.

I visibly tensed, and set to fumbling with the hem of my shirt, “I- um, her name is Krista.

“Well, we’d love to have her over. Does she live nearby?” She brought her tea to her lips with genuine enthusiasm in her eyes.

Nodding my head, I answered, “Um yeah… she lives about an hour drive north of here.” but as she opened her mouth to- obviously- offer to have her come over for the holidays, I added, “But she already has plans with her family for Christmas.”

Mom just threw her head back and laughed, “No, dear. I was going to ask if she might want to come over for New Year’s? We’re going to be throwing a party anyway.”

“Oh, uh, yeah, I think she’d like that.” Krista acted shy sometimes, but she was actually quite bubbly and personable; not to mention that she had constantly been asking about when she would get to meet my parents. “I’ll call her right now.”

Mother beamed- I know she’s been just as excited to meet Krista as Krista was to meet her- as I pushed off the chair and slipped out onto the front porch of our unnecessarily large house.

My fingers moved through the motions of unlocking the phone, scrolling through my contacts, and dialing Krista’s number. It rang three times before she finally picked up, “Oh hey, Minnie. What’s up?”

I flushed at the nickname, which I usually would pretend to hate, and I had to take a minute to calm down my heartbeat and find the right words to say, “Hi, Kris. I uh… well… my mom wan-  _ we _ wanted to ask if you’d like to come to a party.”

There was silence for a moment, and I was unable to tell exactly what kind of silence it was. “Uh, what kind of party?” Apparently, it was a confused sort of silence.

“Oh, uh… ‘s for New Year’s Eve.”

Her tone was chipper and bright when she replied, “I’d love to come! Just send me the details and I’ll be there!”

Running a hand through my hair with a heavy sigh of relief, I reached for the doorknob and made my way back into the house. “Awesome! I can’t wait.” At this, I noticed my mother perk up on the couch, smiling brighter than I’d seen all day- it would seem that she put two and two together.

“See you then, Min. Love you.”

“See ya. Love you too, Kris.” And with that, we hung up, though I would talk to her quite frequently between then and the night of the party.

* * *

New Year’s Day crept up on me quicker than I’d expected. Usually, when I’m looking forward to something, time passes unbearably slow, but it would seem that the universe decided to smile down upon me just this once.

My fingers fiddled with the buttons on my dress shirt, buttoning them up to my neck, but leaving the top most one open. The mirror before me displayed every wrinkle, every fold, of my outfit- including the way I pretty much looked like a twelve-year-old wearing his dad’s clothes. No, seriously, the outfit dwarfed me, and it only got worse when I shrugged on the suit jacket.

I huffed and ran a hand through my long blond hair, which sparked in me the idea to pull it back. When it framed my face, it had the tendency to make me look about five years younger, but I found that when I pulled it back in a topknot, I actually looked my age (somewhat). 

And so, tying my hair back, I decided that it was as good as it was gonna get and left my room, making my way to the top of the staircase, up which flowed a stream of upbeat notes- my parents must be playing their party music- mostly 80s and 90s music with a little bit of modern pop thrown in. I still can’t believe that mom actually put some Ariana Grande on the playlist.

Playfully rolling my eyes, I made the first couple steps down the stairs, freezing when I realized that at any moment, Krista would show up and she’d be occupying the same pace as my parents. What if they didn’t get along?

Well, that was a dumb thought. Krista gets along with everyone and she’s so delightful it’s pretty much a guarantee that my parents will like her… right?

_ Armin, calm down. You’re only nervous because you really want the most important people in your life to like each other. You’re looking for issues when there are none. _

**Ding. Dong.**

I jumped, surprising myself with the fact that the small sound was able to set my nerves on fire.

“Oh, hi!” I heard my mother’s chipper voice from the front room. A cold draft poured through the door.

“You must be Armin’s mom!” Came Krista’s equally chipper voice. “I’m Krista! It’s so nice to meet you!”

“Oh, please! The pleasure’s all mine!”

“Honey!” Came my dad’s voice from the kitchen. “Let her in before she freezes to death out there!”

Krista made her way to the bottom of the stairs, on which I still stood. We locked eyes for a moment, bringing a gentle smile to my lips.

“Hey.” I said softly.

She gave me a small wave. “Hey.” she said in an equally soft voice.

I walked down the remaining stairs to stand by her side, and she grabbed my hand without a second thought.

I knew to interpret this as her being nervous as well- we had been together long enough for me to be able to tell- and I squeezed her hand comfortingly.

I decided it would be best to keep from giving her a welcoming kiss at least until after her nerves had settled, so I gently pulled her along to the kitchen.

Dad was forking out some salad into bowls sitting on the marble counter. He looked up when he saw us, though, and hurriedly set the bowl down and rushed over, a bright smile on his face.

“You’ve already met my mother.” I said with a smile. “This is my dad.”

“Nice to meet you.” He said, extending a hand. Krista beamed, eagerly shaking his hand in return.

“It’s wonderful to finally meet you.” Her playful eyes met mine for the briefest of moments. “I’ve heard great things about you.”

Dad rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Armin can make anyone sound like a saint.” He smiled, glancing at me, before switching back to Krista. “But I can see there was no exaggeration about you.”

Krista chuckled shyly. “I can only hope so.”

Mom pushed her way into the kitchen, giving Krista’s shoulders a gentle motherly squeeze from behind before coming up beside my dad.

“We’re happy you’re here with us.” She said, handing Krista a bowl and gesturing to the dining room. “You’re perfect for our Armin.”

I felt my face heat up. “Mom!”

Krista laughed, following me to the dining room. She set her plate down beside mine with a small sigh.

“Your parents are truly wonderful, Armin.” She beamed.

“We know.” Came his father’s voice from the other side of the kitchen door.

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Can you not eavesdrop?”

Krista laughed into her hands, her eyes shining.

“Yeah, honey.” Came mom's voice. “There’s no need to be pressed up against the door. Besides, it’s not like we can’t hear them anyway.”

I laughed, Krista joining me. I took her hand and sat down with her. I gave her an apologetic smile and leaned forward, giving her lips a slight peck before my parents could find another excuse to interrupt.

“I’m glad I came.” She said softly, our foreheads pressed together.

I smiled, squeezing her hand tighter.

“I’m glad you did, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be a Mike x Reader College AU one-shot, as requested.


	20. Mike x Reader- Study Time (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mike tries to help you study for your finals. 
> 
> Requested by shgrrushi. Thank you for requesting!

“YEARGH!” My cry of exhaustion was like the clashing of metal and the thumping of my head against the desk that ensued shortly after was like a booming clap of thunder. Studying… you know how it goes.

I heard the telltale creak of my bedroom door creeping open, it was followed by the deep grumbling voice of my boyfriend, Mike, “Hey, I got your call. Is there someth-” His voice stopped soon after the door’s squeaking had, meaning that he could see me now. “-Oh my, what happened in here?”

I turned my head so that only my ear touched the desk, glancing around at the mess that was my floor. There were textbooks lying open everywhere; piles of schoolwork organized by class, date, relevance, and likelyhood of it being on the exam; not to mention the sticky notes and note cards that were sprawled unceremoniously on top of all these stacks and piles. _Curse you finals._

“You really have a hard core study session going on here, don’t you?”

With the side of my head still pressed against the wood, I responded with puffing out my lower lip and widening my eyes, whimpering, “Please help me,” in my best baby-voice.

He snorted and traipsed over to the desk, doing his absolute darndest to avoid the minefield that was my floor. As he leaned down to my level, his chin came to rest atop my shoulder, lips and nose awfully close to mine. He turned his head and pressed a kiss just below my exposed ear, trailing more down to my neck. “How about you take a break.”

Pursing my lips into a firm pout, I sat up and crossed my arms- though, I’ll admit that it was difficult to force myself to pull myself away from those soft lips of his. “But, Mikeeeeeey, I need to ace these exams!”

With his head still cradled in my neck and his arms encircling my own- thus locking them in place- he snickered softly, “You will.” His lips met my cheek bone, which was now flushing red, and I had to muster the strength to keep from melting. “But, if you take a break, you’ll find that you’ll focus better when you come back.”

Adamantly shaking my head, I quipped back, my voice laced with cockiness, “Pretty sure that’s not how that works.”

“C’mon, let me prove it to you.” His voice was hot against the skin of my neck, and I had half a mind to not say anything at all and let him keep kissing me until my skin turned purple. 

“What would we be doing?”

He pulled back, seeing that he was winning, and I whined at the loss of contact, “Doesn’t have to be much.” He murmured, pressing a finger against his thin lips in thought. “How about a movie?”

I nodded dumbly, my nerves still blazing from the feeling of his breath against my neck and his hair tickling my cheek. 

Scooping me up into his arms, Mike settled me against his chest. I could hear his heartbeat through his shirt, even though my ear rested on his collarbone. He stepped back over all those organized piles of schoolwork and notes, expertly making it back out the door and into the living room of my dorm.

I shared the room with only one other person, but I was alone today- we needed milk and bread (and everything…). 

He plopped me down on the couch, my side feeling cold and vacant now that it wasn’t pressed up against his strong, warm body. But, he soon dropped down to my side and my human heater returned to fulfil his purpose. I nuzzled into him.

His arm stretched out, searching for something, and when it returned to his side, it held both remotes to the television. A second later the screen flickered on, flooding the room with blue light. “What do you want to watch?” hummed Miked, resting his head atop my own.

“Mmmm…” Despite the light that streamed in from the blinds, indicating that the sun was still very much out, I felt my eyes drooping. He was just so comfy- too comfy. “Something funny.”

I could feel his features pull into a grin against my hair.

“No, Mike. No.” I exclaimed, pushing myself off of him. “Do not do what I think you’re going to do.”

“Too late!” He sing-songed, holding the remote over his head as I scrambled to try to grab it from him. _Curse my height._

And just like that, _Nacho Libre_ was playing on my TV screen. I groaned out a heavy sigh- _Dang it, Mike. This is the fourth time this month!_

“Miiiike!” I whined, drawing out his name to emphasize my discontent. He just rolled his eyes as if to day ‘well, you asked for comedy.’ “Please Mikey, don’t make me watch this again.”

He just pulled me closer into his side and murmured, “I’ll let you pick next.”

“Next? I’ve gotta get back to work after this!” I proclaimed, sticking my elbow in his side and sitting upright. “What else ya got?”

He hummed thoughtfully before responding, “I’ll cook you dinner tonight.”

At these words, I reluctantly sunk back into his side, pouting in defeat, “Alright, fine. You win.”  
Mike simply pecked my forehead and whispered against my hairline, “You know you love me.”

Smirking playfully, I turned up my head and smashed my lips against the underside of his chin, “Perhaps I do.” And then, after several hearty laughs at the movie and loads of cuddling in his side, I mutter, “Thank you, Mikey. I really did need a break.”

His fingers graced my cheek, cupping my face and bringing it to face him. He brought our faces together in a delicate kiss. When he pulled away, he brushed a hand through my hair, “Anytime, love. You ever need anything, just give me a call and I’ll be there. I promise.”

I knew in my heart he wasn’t going to break this promise. It only made me love him more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up is an Eren x Jean one-shot, as requested.


	21. Eren x Jean- Green Is Not Your Color (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Erejean story in which Eren gets jealous of Jean spending time with another 104th member.
> 
> Requested by VILL86. Thank you for requesting!

Everyone relates jealousy to the color green, when really it’s clearly a blood-boiling red that sizzles under one’s skin. It festers and creeps to the eyes, tinging your vision with that angry color. It’s the color that stains your cheeks when fury rises from the depths of your gut, forcing you to clench your knuckles until they turn white. And it’s the color that’s left when your fingers release their tense hold on your own palm. Jealousy is red.

And I saw red as Armin’s hand grasped Jean’s shoulder to keep him upright as a series of violent laughs racked his small frame.

Don’t get me wrong, Armin had been my best friend since childhood, and I’m sure he meant me no disrespect by the act, but no one touched  **my** boyfriend unless I expressly told them it was allowed. And I had not granted such access to Armin.

I was gripped by fury, and I hardly noticed that I was marching toward them. My feet must have started without my knowledge, and the only reason I even notice is that their faces are getting a lot closer.

“Oh hey, Eren. What’s up?” Armin asked, innocently listing his head in genuine curiosity. It was hard to tell if he noticed the anger on my face- I knew I wasn’t subtle and that he was far from dumb, but the look on his face practically screamed that he was completely ignorant of my mood. 

Jean, however, was very clearly not fooled. His eyes widened as if he were terrified that I would explode, taking everyone down with me. And thus, he obviously caught onto the fact that I was about to cause a massive scene right here in the Training Corps mess hall. He reached out and gripped my shoulder. “Eren,” He warned, voice heavy with severity.

With lips drawn tight, I latched onto his wrist dragging him from the hall. I didn’t glance back, but I could imagine that Armin was left with a confused look scrawled out on his face. Instead, I stormed my way over to the edge of the forest, dragging my boyfriend along a familiar path.

When I reached the clearing above the glittering lake with Jean in tow, my fingers uncurled around his arm and my knees buckled less gracefully than I would ever admit. And so, I sat crosslegged and glared out at the crystal blue waters which sparkled below us, as I waited for Jean to make a move.

He didn’t move for a really long while, leaving me to wonder whether he was contemplating bursting out in anger, which would inevitably prompt yet another one of our massive arguments, mulling over his disappointment in having picked such a temperamental boyfriend, or something else.

Turns out it was something else entirely- something that I never would have expected (not in a million years) from Jean.

A heavy sigh burst forth from his soft lips, drawing my attention away from the lake and onto them. They were thin and delicate, and pressing mine against them felt like fitting puzzle pieces together- a perfect fit. Conveniently, we tended to make out after every fight... so... all the time.

He cautiously lowered his body down beside me and ran his fingers through the choppy tufts that sat upon his head. It really was softer than it looked- nowhere near as soft as mine or Armin’s, but the slight coarseness in the strands’ texture made dragging one’s fingers through them more captivating.

“Eren…” He finally murmured after sitting in unbearable silence for a good ten minutes. But then, it would seem that he came up with no words. His eyes flitted in an unfocused manner- he was trying to figure out what to say to his incredibly possessive boyfriend.

I almost itched to apologize, but I refrained because… I wasn’t sorry. I mean, I felt bad that I had maybe caused Jean some grief, but I certainly didn’t regret what I did.

But, what he said next shattered every inkling of pride that was left in my selfish bones, “Do you not trust me?”

My eyes snapped up to his. I hadn’t even realized that I had been staring down at my lap.  _ He thinks I don’t trust him? _ “What? No! Why would you say that?”

He turned his head away from me, causing a heavy weight to settle in my chest, “You got jealous, didn’t you?”  _ Where is he going with this? _ “People don’t just get jealous like that unless they think there’s an actual possibility of having something be taken from them.” I blinked; I hadn’t thought of it like that. “So, somewhere in your mind, you think that there’s a possibility that I might actually leave you for someone else.”

I clenched my fists around the fabric at my knees and croaked, “That’s not true! I do trust you.”

Jean finally turned his head to me, his eyes no longer cast to the side but locked onto mine. There was so much sadness swimming in those golden hues that made up his irises. “Do you though? Because there’s nothing that either Armin or I have done that would indicate any sort of romantic feelings between the two of us.”

I shook with anger, and fear, and guilt. _ He’s right, there was really nothing to be jealous of, so why did I get so angry?  _

There comes a moment for everyone in which they realize that they aren’t all that they thought they were. Some find that they aren’t as brave as they pretended to be- as they convinced themselves they were. Some discover that they aren’t as happy as they thought, or that they aren’t as selfless as they tried to be. 

My moment was now. And in this moment, I realized that I wasn’t as confident as I managed to fool myself into believing I was. That despite my prideful appearance, I was more self conscious than even I knew.

In this moment, I found that the person I didn’t trust… was me.

I had no words for Jean- no reassurances that he wasn’t the problem. I couldn’t seem to make my lips form the words ‘I do trust you. I just don’t trust me,’ or any words for that matter. Anything would have been better than the silence that sunk into the air around us, but silence was the best that I could offer.

For me, it was a choice between silence and hot, aching tears, which would no doubt be accompanied by pitiful sobs. _ Silence it is. _

Once again, I was being selfish. I didn’t want to make a fool of myself and break down crying in front of the person I trusted most, and I didn’t even begin to account for the fact that he was probably taking my silence as affirmation that I  **didn’t** trust him, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

A broken cry scratched its way out from my lungs, clawing up my throat and flying from my lips. My head lurched forward and my hands barely caught it, cradling my cheeks and forehead collectively. My back curved into a surely unflattering slouch and shuttered with each sob.

Jean didn’t move, not for a minute or two. But when he did, he wrapped his arms around my slumped shoulders and brought me into his chest, cooing into my hair, “Sh… It’s ok, Eren.”

My whole body shook violently.  _ Why am I so selfish? Why can’t I just tell him that I trust him completely? That I’d trust him with anything? _

I reckon that some words aren’t meant to come out. When your body decides that they run too deep and it cannot handle saying them out loud… because they only exist internally and who knows what would happen if they hit the open air? Secrets like these are rose bushes that curl up tightly around one’s heart, sticking their thorns into you and rooting themselves there. And when you inevitably try to share them with someone you trust- someone you love- they sink those thorns in deeper, scraping your heart as you try to tug them free. 

“Eren… it’s ok…” his lips were pressed into my messy brown hair. It brought me a feeling of comfort and safety that took my crying from a hearty sob to a soft, mewling whine. “You don’t have to be ashamed.”

_ Ashamed? Had he somehow read my mind? _

“It’s ok if you don’t fully trust me yet. We can work on that.” He was so loving in his response. Don’t get me wrong, his assumption was completely incorrect, but even in thinking that I didn’t trust him, he was so understanding- an attribute he doesn’t normally exhibit too well.

And finally, as if the heavens had decided to smile down on me this second, I found my voice, “No, idiot!”

His arms withdrew and he looked at me with the most confused look on his face, “Hah?”

I swallowed my tears and cleared my throat, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment while I mustered the courage to speak once more, “It’s not that I don’t trust you!”

He sat back on his heels, staring at me incredulously, “Then what is it?”

Sniffling, I turned my head back to the ground above my legs, murmuring softly, even though my insides screamed at me to keep it to myself, “I don’t trust myself.”  
I’m not sure if he hadn’t heard me or if it just hadn’t sunk into him yet, but whatever the case, he asked, “What?”

Something inside me snapped and I found that I was yelling, “ **I’m** the one I don’t trust!”

His gaze softened, and I could tell he didn’t quite understand all that I was saying, all that that phrase encompassed, but he seemed to get that it was deep and personal- enough to drive me to tears. He pulled me back into his chest.

We fell back together, lying in each other’s arms against the grass-covered ledge above the beautiful lake. My head was in his chest and my fingers were knotted in his shirt. His lips rested on my hairline and his arms wrapped around my own, holding me as close to him as possible. Our legs tangled between each other and our chests rose and fell together.

“You don’t have to talk about it now, but know that we will have a conversation about this when you  **are** ready. Ok?” he mused, lips teasingly brushing against my forehead.

I smiled, “Ok.” It was enough for now that he understood that he wasn’t where my issue lay, that he held me so close, and that he was willing to wait until I was ready to share more. He’s pretty awesome like that. “I love you…”

His lips stretched pleasantly against my skin, “I love you too, Eren.” He kissed my hairline, then my forehead, eyebrow, temple, cheekbone, followed by the hollow of my cheek, the corner of my lips, before he finally came to rest squarely on my lips. “I’ll always be right here.” His arms dropped away from around my biceps so that his hands could cup my cheeks and bring my face to his again. “That’s a promise, understand?” he whispered against my lips.

I barely got a nod out before his mouth came crashing back down onto mine in a heated, starved kiss. I swear we kissed like four times this morning, but we still couldn’t seem to get enough. It felt like I wouldn’t be able to kiss him in years- that this was my one opportunity- even though I knew that was far from true.

He pulled away from me, just as breathless as I was, “Eren Jaeger, I love you- even if you’re a massive idiot- and I promise you that I won’t be leaving you anytime soon.” He pecked my nose sweetly, “And especially not for Armin.”

I nuzzled back into his chest, “Thank you, Jean.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be an Erwin x Levi one shot, as requested.


	22. Erwin x Levi- Risk (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Erwin get into an argument over risky battle plans.
> 
> Requested by DemeiWo25. Thank you for requesting!

Rapping my knuckles against the large wooden door, I steeled my gaze in an attempt to rein in my raging anger. I had to be calm, or I’d never be taken seriously; that much I knew.

“Name and business?” came the Commander’s authoritative voice from the other side.

I puffed out my chest, forcing my voice to come out as commanding and controlled, “Captain Levi. I came to discuss the expedition plans.”

There was hesitation on his end. And when he finally responded, his voice sounded strained; he must suspect what I’ve come to say, “You may enter.”

I pushed open the door, finding Erwin sitting regally at his desk, dozens of papers strewn about around him. Pieces of his usually pristine hair were hanging down like he’d tugged them free in his stress. It hurt my chest to see him so overworked- so worried and tired- but I had more important business to attend to.

I must have been staring for a while because he cleared his throat noisily and squared his shoulders, saying, “What is it that you need to say, Captain Levi.”

“You can drop the formalities.” I deadpanned; it wasn’t like we hadn’t been secretly dating for months. “It’s just the two of us.”

He cleared his throat again, this time far more awkwardly, “Right, uh… what is it, Levi?”

Oh, right, the expedition plans. I drew the parchment from my back pocket. And brought it to his desk, pushing a couple things aside to make room as I spread the plans out for him to see. “I was reviewing the plans for the upcoming expedition, and I happened to notice that you are placing my squad on the outermost post in the left wing.”

“...Correct.” He seemed confused, like he hadn’t a clue why that’d be a problem with me. “...And?” 

“And…” I mocked, quickly losing patients, “that’s the most precariously placed group- it’s by far the most dangerous spot in the formation- besides the same spot in the right wing, that is.”

“Right. You’re special operations squad, Levi. Your squad is the best of the best. That’s why Mike’s squad is placed opposite of you.” I let that sink in for a moment; he put us there because we were able to fend off titans better than others. “If anyone can handle those spots it’s your squad and his.”

My fury was red hot. I just got this squad and I’ve barely had time to reign them in. They were good, but they didn’t quite trust each other yet- an important aspect of being an efficient squad. “Ok, but, Erwin… I can’t have my team being put on the edge yet! They’re not ready.”

“I see your concerns, Levi, but my decision is final.”

I slammed my hands down on the desk, fingers curling tight around the wood until they turned white, “I’m not letting you kill my whole squad in one move! Not when this can be avoided!”

“Why are you so confident that they’ll die,  **Captain** ?” The title was bitter on his tongue, and that steely gaze of his- so collected and almost unreadable- irked me enough that I was starting to consider kicking him in the gut.

I’m not the type to get all gushy about their lover, but let me just say this: I love Erwin- I really do- but right now just about everything about him simultaneously makes me want to punch him in the face and also make out with him.  _ Maybe I should just do both. _

Deciding against both options, I grit my teeth and answered, “Erwin, I’ve had them in my squad for a week; they hadn’t met prior.” It was a real struggle to keep my cool, but I think I managed to shove my anger down momentarily. “They need more time to work with each other before they’re sent on a big mission.”

Erwin folded up the parchment I’d placed in front of him and pulled back the work I’d pushed aside. I guess he decided that he was done with this conversation.

By this, I was fuming again. I snatched up the plans and shook them in his face, “Erwin! I cannot stand by and watch as you condemn my squad!”

“Why are you so worried, Levi. You’ll make it.”

My lips clenched and I moved my hands back to the desk to resist the urge to wrap them around his neck- his thick and gorgeou neck… but that’s not the point. “Yeah, I will! But they might not!”

“Then protect them, Levi”

“I will!” I snapped. The parchment fell from my fingers onto the floor and my legs involuntarily storms around the desk to loom over Erwin. With my height, however, it was closer to standing eye-level than to looming over him. I tried not to dwell on my anger at the small size I was cursed with. My fingers curled around the collar of his shirt and I brought his face to mine, “You can bet your-”

His lips were on mine. He was kissing me. While I was trying to be angry with him. But dang it’s hard to stay mad when those powerful lips are on your own… 

I melted- just a bit- into the kiss, dropping my fingers from his collar and bringing both hands to cup his cheeks.

He pulled away, face still caught between my fingers; he was blushing apologetically, “S-sorry. Guess I got a little carried away, what with your face being so close.”

I stood there, practically sputtering, for a good long moment before I managed a playful smirk and a teasing reply, “Arguing with me’s too hot for ya, huh?”

He winked- he  **freaking** winked! “You know it.”

Growling, I climbed onto his lap and shoved my lips back on his. He caught on quickly and gripped my hips with his large hands… or maybe it was my hips that were small. Whatever the case, we moved in synchronous, passionate movements; my hands tangled in his hair, his fingers digging into my hip bone.

I think it ended with my tongue down his throat, but I can’t be entirely too sure, what with the heavy daze I was left in after he pulled away.

“I think we should stop there before we get too carried away.” He heaved, still very much out of breath, but, hey, so was I. “I’ve gotta budget meeting in about fifteen minutes, and I should probably have a clear head.” He nervously chuckled and ran a hand through his hair bashfully.

Getting the message, I climbed off of his lap and smoothed down my uniform, “Right, uh…” and after a moment of clambering for words, I recalled the reason I came in here in the first place. My gaze hardened, but only slightly. “Still mad at you for this, though.” I called, bending over to pick up the plans from the floor and waving them in his face. 

“Guess I’ll have to make it up to you later then, huh?” His eyebrows were quirked and he was wearing that dumbly seductive smirk. I knew what he meant and it brought an unseemly blush to my cheeks.

I opened up his door so that he’d have to stop flirting and turned back to say one last thing, “If anyone in my squad dies tomorrow, I’m blaming you.”

He chuckled, though his eyes never left his work, “Duly noted.”

He knew I was bluffing; he knew I wouldn’t be mad at him- that I couldn’t. I loved him too dang much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be a Jean x Marco one-shot as requested.


	23. Jean x Marco- Titan (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jean is in death's clutches when someone unexpected steps in to save him.
> 
> Requested by ThisLittleSweetPotato. Thank you for requesting! (The request said platonic OR romantic, but since they're, like, my OTP, and I have no self control, I'm gonna have to choose romantic.)

“Nrggh!” I cried, struggling against the giant fingers that clamped my arms to my side. This was the end, wasn’t it? There was no way out of this for me- no one around to save me.

The only other being within a ten mile radius was the other titan that was meandering around, waiting for a meal of its own. 

I stared up into the face of the titan that was raising me up to its lips. Man, was that thing ugly. It’s grotesquely proportioned face loomed above me- a harbinger of the imminent end, the end of the line.

The other titan happened to look much more appealing. It’s face, a stark contrast to my murder’s, was well structured. It was seemingly masculine, though most titans’ were, with a strong jaw and almost regal nose. The titan was handsome, dare I say, and vaguely familiar in a way I couldn’t quite place.

_ I’d much rather be eaten by the handsome one…  _ I grumbled to myself. I knew it really didn’t matter, but at least I wouldn’t have to stare at this one’s disgustingly disfigured face as I go.

I squeezed my eyes shut and murmured one final goodbye, or rather, a hello, “Looks like I’ll be seeing you sooner than I’d expected, huh Marco?” 

_ I wonder if he can hear me. I wonder if he’s as eager to see me as I am him. _

When I was younger, death was such a far off thought. I hardly ever considered it at all. It was something distant and peaceful- an eternal sleep. When I joined the military, it became a bit more of a reality. Titans had broken through the wall, so naturally I’d had a long hard internal monologue about it. I’d asked myself how I would wanna go. Ultimately, I had decided that I wanted to die comfortably after having lived a full and happy life. That all changed when Marco died. 

Marco had been my everything, and the titans took him from me. I wanted revenge. But even more, I wanted to live a life he would be proud of me for living. So I dedicated my heart to the human race and joined the Survey Corps.

In the end, I didn’t seem to make much of a difference. I was going to die without having liberated anyone.

Death was so close now, I could smell its breath- and boy was it nauseating.

“See you in a minute, Marco.” I hated to hear my own voice accepting death so readily, but there really wasn’t much else I could do, except expend a bunch of energy only to die anyway.

And just as the revolting beast widened its jaw, ready to take me in and gobble me up in a single swallow, a fist collided with the side of its face- a giant fist.

It’s grip released from around me and I was falling. Everything was so blurry, there was no way I’d be able to latch onto anything. This was still the end.

But the titan that had punched the other out of the way caught me in its large palms, cradling me softly.  _ Eren? Did he come to save me?  _

_ ...Nah, he wouldn’t be nearly so gentle with me. _

My eyes cracked open warily once my head stopped spinning, and the face before my own was that of the handsome titan I’d noticed earlier. Only now, I was able to place that feeling of familiarity I wasn’t able to before.

“Marco?”

The titan cocked its head in response to the name, as if to say, “You called?’”

Now that it was closer to me, I was able to pick out the tiny freckles that splattered across his skin- of course his titan had freckles, it was only right.

He may have been huge, and a titan, but he was still distinctly Marco. He was still so beautiful. I could pick out the similar features on that large face- the ones that looked just like ones I’d noticed while studying my boyfriend’s face. My boyfriend… who died…

“M-Marco..? How- How are you alive?” I stuttered as tears pricked in the corners of my eyes.

The titan opened his mouth, trying out a couple noises in an attempt to speak. It was loud and rough-  _ I reckon titans weren’t made to hold conversations _ \- even still, he finally managed to grumble out a complete thought, “Aayyye yaaaamm tyeeetann (I am titan).”

I chuckled, “Yes, Marco, I can see that.”

The titan pouted.  _ He has to be the cutest titan to ever exist, I swear. _ “Jeeeeeaaaan.” he drawled, with clear annoyance in his struggling tone. Had he managed to forget that I’m sarcastic as heck?

“Are you a shifter like Eren?” I scrambled against his soft fingers to sit up against his gigantic palm.

He shook his head.  _ I’m glad we were able to discover the truth about titans before this, otherwise my head would be spinning with the knowledge that titans were actually humans. _ And yet, my head was still spinning… because… I saw his dead body.

I gripped at the skin of his hand, “B-but… I saw you…” My speech was clumsy, worse than his even, and I’m sure that he wasn’t used to speaking at all in this form. It didn’t help that there were streams of thick tears streaming down my face like a river. “You were- you... you died!”

He stared down on me with a swimming solumness in his eyes, “Ayyyemm ahlayvvv (I’m alive).” And though his voice was rumbling, tumultuous, and extremely labored, it was still distinctly his. “Ayyyemm nooot deeehd (I’m not dead).”

My hands shook and I struggled to keep my body sitting up straight, “But you were! I saw your body, Marco!” My voice cracked on his name. This was hard. So hard. I thought that I would be relieved to see him again, but I never imagined that it would happen like this. “It… it was… eaten in half!”

He was clearly taken aback by this, and if it weren’t for the tears clouding my vision, maybe I would be able to see the gears turning in that giant head of his as he wondered, ‘How can I be dead and alive?’

But, he wasn’t so confused; he must have just been searching for the right words, and I guessed he finally did. And, this time, they weren’t so garbled, “Iii wuzz deeaad (I was dead).” He began, still speaking rather slowly, but seeming to get the hang of it. “Buut, theenn Iii tuuurnd thiiis (but then I turned [into] this).”

At this point, I was a complete mess of snot and tears, and I couldn’t care less what the logistics were. All I knew was that Marco was alive here before me and that allowed for the possibility of saving him.

“Jeeaan?”

I sniffled and turned my water-filled eyes up to his, “Hm?”

“Reyynrr nnd Brrt hollt… (Reiner and Bertholdt)” He started, but I got the gist of what he was trying to get across.

“-are the armored and colossal titan? Yeah. And Annie’s the female titan. We had some nasty run-ins with them, but we’re good for now.” I finished, saving him the trouble.

“Feeemaaale Tyyytan? (female titan)” His eyebrows drew in close, and it occurred to me that when Marco died, no one had seen the female titan yet. 

“Oh yeah… Sorry… we didn’t discover her until after… uh… Trost.”

He nodded in understanding, but he didn’t speak another word. I wondered if he was just as at a loss for words as I was.

My eyes swept back over his face, admiring all the angles and curves. There was no denying the natural beauty in his features, even if they weren’t quite as perfect as before.  _ Would he ever be that same Marco again? _

I choked, making a sound vaguely reminiscent of one that might come out of a frog. How could I tell him that I had thought of him everyday? How could I explain the pain I felt when I saw his body? How was I supposed to show him just how much I missed him- how much I still miss him? How on earth could I tell him that what I want more than anything is to have him back- to hold him in my arms again? How to say that this could never be enough for either of us… even though it has to?

“M-marco…” I whimpered, wanting nothing more than to turn away and bury my face so he can’t see the look of brokenness on my face. But, I stayed still, just sitting in his palm.

He lifted his arm, bringing me closer to his face and hummed. Only he could look so concerned even as a titan.

Sniffing my tears away and wiping my eyes on my sleeve, I forced the tremble from my voice, “I don’t think we can change you back.”

He frowned, a look that I always found a little unbecoming of him. It quickly faded into one of acceptance. Even still, he said nothing. Perhaps he had already come to terms with this. Perhaps he had given up hope for a remedy a long time ago. 

“At least, we don’t know how to yet.” I admitted, pushing up onto my knees so that I could reach his face with my hand. I pressed my fingertips to his cheek, just like I used to. And like before, he nuzzled into my hand.

He smiled sweetly, “Thhhaaat oookaaay (that’s okay).”

“I think I can convince the others to give you a chance… if that’s ok with you.” Even though he wasn’t exactly human anymore, I couldn’t let him get away again. After the last couple months of living without him, I was willing to take anything I could get.

There was hesitation in his eyes, but he eventually nodded.

“I- I still love you, Marco.” And with that, I pressed a feather-light kiss on his cheek.

Even now, I could see the rosy blush that took to his cheeks, “Ayye looovve yoouu toooo, Jjeeaann (I love you too, Jean).”

I broke into a grin, choosing to ignore the heat rising in my own face, “Good. Because, I’m not letting you go a second time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies if this is not as good as most of the others- I've never written anything like this before.
> 
> Next up will be a Jean x Mikasa one-shot as requested.


	24. Jean x Mikasa- Lost and Found (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikasa sneaks off to get away from Eren, and while a couple people are looking for her, it's Jean who finds her. Some flirting ensues.
> 
> I apologize in advance for the change in writing style- I was trying something new in an attempt to head off some writer's block, but I think I feel more comfortable with my old style... Anyways, I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Requested by Marian48. Thank you for requesting!

“You’re such a show-off Jean.”

Mikasa crossed her arms, shifting her body to face the outstretching plains. It was around dusk, and she had come out here as an escape. All anyone talked about anymore was Eren, and while Mikasa was usually up for conversations regarding him, he was just too much to handle nowadays. She could hardly stomach the thought of him being in Marley and being reckless as he surely was. So she took refuge away from her fellow scouts.

Jean, of course, had been the one to find her, as he was one of the only ones looking, other than Armin, who for all Mikasa knew was curled up in his blankets.

Jean leaned closer to Mikasa, a teasing smirk growing on his lips.

“You didn’t make it easy to find you, I’ll give you that.” Jean said with a smug grin.

Mikasa scoffed. “I’m on the front steps. Any of you morons could’ve found me had they looked.”

“But they didn’t.” Jean said proudly, crossing his arms in triumph. “I did.”

Mikasa rolled her eyes.

“To be honest, I would have preferred Armin.”

Jean scoffed, teasingly knocked into her shoulder. “ _ Rude _ .”

Actually, she did prefer Jean being the one to find her. He always made her feel appreciated when Eren made her feel like dirt.

But she wasn’t about to tell  _ him _ that. He’d just get a big head and rub it in Eren’s face, which would probably end in a fist-fight.

She shook her head, smirking.

“Only joking.” She commented offhandedly. “You aren’t the  _ worst _ one who could’ve found me. You did a pretty good job.” She smirked. “For a horse.”

Jean’s jaw dropped in an over-exaggerated scoff. “Mikasa!” He whined. “Not you too!”

Mikasa stifled a chuckle, looking down at her shoes so that he couldn’t see the growing blush on her face.

_ She _ had been the one to first relate Jean’s face to a horse, and it was just something that Eren picked up on.

When Mikasa managed to compose herself, she looked back up at Jean, playfully knocking her shoulder into his.

He mimicked her action, gently knocking into her. It put a smile on her face.

“Kidding.” She said.

He laughed softly. “It’s okay. I don’t mind so much when you say it.”

She raised an eyebrow at him, but shrugged and cleared her throat, straightening her back when she realized she was actually not tense for once. She folded her hands in front of her awkwardly and nodded at Jean, hoping she wasn’t coming off as stiff as she felt.

“Well, I’ll be going in.” She said once she found her words.

Jean nodded. “I should too. I’ll go with you.”

_ Shoot!  _ She couldn’t very well escape the mounting warmth in his chest if he was walking right next to her.

But she smiled and nodded, pushing the door open with him in tow.

She was glad for the dim lighting from the lanterns, or he might have seen the brilliant pink hue spreading across her face.

She bit her lip, burying her fingernails into her palms. Was this what appreciation felt like?

Or something else?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the flirting in this chapter isn't great, I apologize... I'm very single for a reason, lol. But some of it can be attributed to writer's block, I'm sure.
> 
> Next chapter will be an Eren x Reader one-shot, as requested (the reader will be specifically female this time, though).


	25. Eren x Fem!Reader- Makeup (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren is showing around a new member, and makes a bit of a fool of himself.
> 
> Requested by Eren's simp. Thank you for requesting!

Eren came into view with a rather timid looking ex-garrison soldier. He led the beanpole of a boy around the open field where most of us were drinking tea after a long training session. He introduced the initiate to just about everyone in the courtyard- well, except Jean, whom he passed only with the comment, “Horseface.”

And finally he stopped before me. He hadn’t really spoken to me all that often, but I would catch him glancing at me from time to time- scrutinizing me as I worked. I always got the feeling that he was judging everything I did. Knowing this, I found it difficult to understand why he would want to introduce someone to me.

He gestured to me offhandedly, “This is Y/N. She’s in Hange Squad.”

Cracking a slight smile, I waved at the boy, “Hello.”

And I thought that would be it, but Eren’s eyes kinda glazed over and he was staring off into the distance, very much lost in thought. I preferred the silence because the rambling that followed really threw me off my guard- you can’t really plan for these things, I supposed. “She’s one of our best fighters, you know. That’s why she’s entrusted with protecting Hange- you met her… she tends to get herself into precarious situations often.”

The boy nodded, though he too seemed confused by the lengthened introduction. However, his confusion could hardly compare to mine. Eren had literally only ever spoken like two words to me- I was pretty sure that they had been the phrase , “G’morning.”

“...and she had a pretty high kill count too.” I guess my inner monologue was turned up too loud, because I think I missed a portion of the conversation. He went on for another minute or two before landing squarely on an awkward topic. Awkward for whom, you ask? Probably anyone who witnessed it- except Eren himself. “...Don’t get why she wears all that makeup though.”

At this, my head snapped up. Makeup? Since when did I wear makeup? Where on Earth was this coming from.

“...I mean, we’re soldiers. Our jobs are to fight the titans, so looking attractive isn’t really our priority.” He seemed to not noticed that he stepped right into a weird topic of conversation, and he probably would have kept going had I not interrupted.

“I- I don’t wear makeup.” His eyes flew open wide, as if emerging forth from a daze he wasn’t aware he was caught in. I interjected to lighten the mood, “Glad you think I’m attractive though.”

Eren froze, eyes wide and mouth cracked open, “I! Uh-” His cheeks were  **flaming** red and his fingers trembled almost violently as he attempted to backtrack. But, seeing no way out, he gave up, sighing heavily and hanging his head. The damage was done and there was nothing he could do or say to change it.

My own cheeks were feeling a bit hot and I struggled to contain my own bashful smile. I’d admit, I found Eren attractive- who didn’t? But, I never once thought he had an ounce of interest in me… at least, until now. “You’re pretty attractive yourself.”

His head shot up again, and his eyes like sea glass trained on my own. He choked on his own words, only managing to croak, “H-huh?”

My smile widened, “You heard me.”

His Adam's apple bobbed as he took a strained gulp, “I… uh… I have to get back to showing him around, but- uh…” he started, gesturing to the lanky brunet at his side, “if you, um- if you’re interested, I could maybe come by before dinner… to take-” he cleared his throat, “we could go for a walk?”

It really did come off as more of a question than a statement, nonetheless, I set my hand on his shoulder and grinned as calmly as I could, “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Great! I’ll, uh, pick you up around four then?” He jumped back and scratched at the back of his neck.

Simply, I nodded, “Sounds great.”

“Awesome!” He scrambled back over to the boy and guided him away with tense muscles, leaving me to laugh to myself.  _ He never told me the initiate’s name. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I know that both this chapter and the last were a bit short. I'll try to make them longer in the future, but I'm currently in the middle of studying for a HUGE test. I should be good sometime between the end of this weekend and the end of next week.
> 
> Next chapter will be a Porco x OC, as requested.


	26. Porco x OC- Festival (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reiner asks Marina Bell to go to the festival with her, Porco seems to take offense to that proposition.
> 
> Requested by Kimonade. Thank you for Requesting! 
> 
> Disclaimer: I addition to not owning the AoT characters, I also do not own Marina Bell. She is Kimonade's OC, and I thank you for letting me use her in today's chapter.

Marina crossed her arms as Reiner jabbed her in the side with his elbow, snidely remarking, “So what'dya say, eh? Go to the festival with me?”

She considered the proposition briefly before shutting it down. After all, it had been a while since she’d seen so much spunk- for lack of a better word- in the boy. He’d come back from Paradise having lost three comrades, one of them being his closest friend. And when he arrived in Liberio, everyone could tell that he was far from the same; in fact, for up until this moment, he seemed closed off and even depressed at times.

With this in mind, Marina considered her options carefully. Romantically speaking, she had no interest in the guy what-so-ever, but she hadn’t seen him this happy since before he left for Paradise. Did she really want to crush his spirit right as it was starting to grow back?

Luckily, the decision was made for her when Porco, practically fuming at the ears, stormed up to her side and forcibly placed himself between her and the much larger man. With Marina just rising to five foot, it was hard not to call everyone tall, but Reiner towered over just about everyone else, so she deemed it appropriate in this case.

“Back off, Reiner. You’re making her uncomfortable.” he spat at the other soldier, defending the petite blonde now standing behind him.

Reiner’s eyes thinned, scrutinizing the shorter boy’s face, “Why don’t you let her speak for herself, Porco?”

She only clenched her teeth, forcing down the biting reply that she was definitely with Porco on this one and that she wanted nothing to do with Reiner. 

“So what’ll it be, Marina? Who are you gonna choose? Him or me?”

Now she was lost. When had Porco become an option? “Huh? Porco has hardly said anything.” She finally piped up, standing tall and unshaken. She wasn’t the meek type, and though this situation had her a little at odds in her own mind, she wasn’t flustered and she certainly wasn’t anxious.

Reiner snorted loudly, “Doesn’t take much to know that Porco, here, ‘s got a huge crush on you.”

Ok, now Marina was shaken, and not because her mind was reeling to comprehend what Reiner just said, but because puzzle pieces were coming into place. How could she not have seen it before? Everything made sense now. Porco had been going out of his way to do nice things for her, to protect her, to care for her since his brother and the others went off to Paradise. Up until now she had just brushed it off, thinking that he was simply trying to show her that she still had a friend here.

You see, Marina was extremely close with Bertholdt and Annie, so when they left, she had a hard time not feeling abandoned. Logically, she knew that they left because it was their duty, but it still hurt to know that she may not see her friends again for several years.

A final thing that had tricked her into thinking that Porco’s feelings were platonic was that when she found out that Bertholdt and Annie weren’t coming back at all, he took extra good care of her. He came to check up on her like twice a day for the first month that she grieved her old friends. He would rub her back as she cried into his shoulder and reassure her that Annie might still make it out.

All this time, Marina had falsely believed his intentions to be friendly, when really he meant to communicate that he liked her romantically. And he had kept it in all these years.

While all this was going down in her head, Porco was starting to fume. His cheeks were flaming red, and it was difficult to tell whether it was from embarrassment or anger. Either way, he turned on Reiner, ready to tell him off or maybe even punch him.

But as his mouth opened to speak, it was Marina’s voice that was heard throughout the room, “Porco…” His head snapped toward her and his anger deflated almost instantly. “All this time..?”

He cocked his head, not quite following her train of thought.

“You’ve liked me since Reiner and the others left for Paradise, right?”

Porco’s entire body froze over like a winter lake. If she had figured it out on her own, there was no way he could convince her otherwise. Once he managed to ‘thaw,’ he nodded his head dumbly, lowering his head to stare at the ancient floorboards.

She stepped closer to him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, like he used to do for her when she was down, “That’s a long time to keep a secret… that must’ve been really hard.”

Porco’s head shot up when the sincerity of her tone reached his ears. It must have surprised him that she was neither upset or uncomfortable by this. Reiner was gawking too, but Marina didn’t want to look at him- this wasn’t about him.

Eventually, the shorter male found his voice, saying timidly, “I- I wanted to tell you… so many times…”

She didn’t smile, but she didn’t frown either, instead she appeared rather concerned or maybe focused. Whatever it was, her expression was soft and delicate, “Why didn’t you?”

He clenched his fists at his sides, “You lost two of your best friends, and… well… I thought it was more important for you to know that you still had friends- had me- than telling you that I had  _ feelings _ for you.” the word ‘feelings’ was spat out, almost like it hurt him to say.

“Thank you.” she whispered right by his ear. “But you don’t have to carry that burden anymore… now that I know.”

In a different circumstance, he might have felt relieved by those words, by the prospect that he’d no longer hand to hide. But instead, his insides were churning in terror and anxiety. He was in deep inner-turmoil. Really, it was kind of outer-turmoil, given that everyone could see it from the outside given his expression of fear.

Marina smiled and turned Porco’s chin so that his stormy eyes were looking into her hazel ones again, “You’re afraid I won’t be comfortable with this, huh?”

His lip trembled and he gave a shaky nod.

“Don’t be.” she murmured, her nose almost touching his. “I like you too.”

Porco’s eyes widened and his posture straightened, “Really?”

She pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek, lingering there for only a moment, and when she pulled away, both their faces were rosy, “Really.”

Reiner released a heavy sigh from where he was standing not far off. The pair had almost forgotten he was there, “Guess this didn’t really work out for me, huh?” He chuckled brashly and ran a hand through his hair. “Oh well, I’m going to go ahead and assume your answer to my proposal is a no and take my leave.” He smiled, and though it didn’t reach his eyes, it still was genuine. Then he was gone.

“So what’dya say, Porco,” she grinned, forehead nearly pressing against his, “Go to the festival with me?”

He pecked the tip of her nose and brushed one of her soft blond curls aside, “‘Love to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found this one so cute! I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.
> 
> Next chapter will be a Jean x Armin High School AU one-shot, as requested.


	27. Jean x Armin- High School AU (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armin is a member of the Journalism club, which publishes the school newspaper. Jean is a member of the art club and he got one of his paintings put up in a local gallery. It's Armin's job to interview Jean about his accomplishment.
> 
> Requested by rox_no_decay. Thanks for requesting!

Armin rolled his eyes when the Journalism Club’s adviser handed him his assignment. The half sheet of paper read:

**Assignment: Art Piece**

**Student Name: Armin Arlert**

**Piece Type: Student Interview**

**Topic: Jean Kirstein + Art Exhibit**

**Due Date: This Friday**

**Notes: Jean Kirstein of the Art Club recently had one of his works recognized**

**and hung in The Trost Gallery of Art. Interview him about his work and aspirations.**

**Jean has already agreed to meet up for an interview and has requested that it start**

**at lunch tomorrow in the Library.**

Jean? Oh, Armin knew all about Jean. He didn’t know much about his art, per se, but he did happen to be aware that he’s the cocky student that Eren constantly gets into fights with. And if what Eren had told him was any indication, this was not going to be an easy assignment.

Armin slumped, dumping his face in his hand, his sigh falling warm through his fingers. His eyes darted sideways, straining to see the clock in his peripheral vision. 4:29. In less than a minute, his adviser would dismiss the class and then he’d be on his way home. Or, more accurately, on his way to write interview questions for Jean.

Sure enough, Miss Langnar stood up and made her way to the front of the room, smiling that bright teacher smile that almost always looked so ingenuine, but somehow she always managed to look sincere. She folded her hands in front of her, almost like a stereotypical choir singer, “Have a great day everyone, and good luck with your assignments!”

The blond rose from his seat, smoothing out his sky and navy blue sweater vest, and shouldered his school bag. He followed the stream of students toward the door, waving back at Miss Langnar and murmuring a “See you on Friday.”

Journalism met roughly every Monday and Friday, unless additional instruction was required. It usually wasn’t, given that they’ve been with her for half a year and they get the drill by this point.

* * *

The blond groaned as he tossed his backpack over his shoulders and strolled out of his Pre-Calc class. Mr. Shultz wasn’t the most enthralling teacher, but then again, maybe it was just the subject he taught- hard to get excited about math.

The Library wasn’t far away, but because Armin stalled his feet, dragging them every so slowly over the linoleum floors, it took him fifteen minutes to come to the double doors behind which the library lay. 

He pushed them open, biting back the exasperated groan that threatened to tumble out. Gazing over the rows of bookshelves, the myriad of desks and tables, and the jungle of research computers, Armin immediately spotted the two-toned hair that was characteristic of the one and only Jean Kirstein. 

Heaving a heavy sigh, Armin hung his head and started toward the table where Jean was sitting, “Here we go…” He mumbled to himself as his feet carried him across the floor.

With a yawn, it occurred to the boy that he probably hadn’t gotten enough sleep last night to make it through this. The library was quiet by nature and talking to Jean was certainly not something that excited him in any sense of the word, so if he wasn’t careful, he could end up falling asleep. He knew he shouldn’t have stayed up so late writing out interview questions, but he wanted to make sure that he didn’t really have to put all that much work into this.

Slinking out of his backpack, Armin took a seat on the adjacent side of the table to Jean’s, clearing his throat even though he had made a crazy amount of noise sitting down. There was no way the taller boy hadn’t noticed him, so why didn’t he look up when Armin sat down? Was he trying to get a rise out of the blond? 

Nevertheless, his head jolted up when Armin cleared his throat, “Oh! Hi!” He called, seeming rather startled. _What is it with this guy? I was as obvious as possible. He’s just acting right?_ Armin didn’t really see a point to this innocent act theory dancing in his mind, but there wasn’t another obvious explanation. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it was you at first!” He blurted, slamming his book shut.

Well… except that.

Armin blinked repeatedly and then reached into the backpack on his lap, pulling forth a notebook and pen. Inside were the questions he’d spent all night drumming up, “I-it’s alright.”

The boy, who Eren had been calling a horseface for a year or so now, actually had one of the most attractive faces Armin had seen before, and it occurred to him that he had never really seen Jean up close like this before. He had been taking Eren’s word for it all this time… It made him wonder what else Eren had been wrong about.

With his notebook now open- questions on one side and blank page on the other- Armin gave Jean his best smile because he might as well give him a chance to prove himself, right? “So, uh, first I just wanted to ask about the painting itself. What was it of? What inspired it? Could you explain a little about the process of painting it? Really anything you want to share.”

Jean’s eyes widened and he released an awkward chuckle as he scratched at the back of his neck, “Jumping right in… um… ok,” he cleared his throat and folded his arms on the table before him, and Armin briefly thought that he was pretty cute when flustered, “Right, so, my painting. Yes, it’s just a little something I actually did for my mom for her birthday.”

Armin cocked his head, asking, “For your mom? How did it end up getting recognized?”

Jean bit his bottom lip and stared straight down at the table, “She thought it was beautiful and showed it to a number of her friends, and by the time news of it reached some talent scouts, she had managed to convince me to enter it in the school’s art fair.” He squirmed in his seat, aiming to sit more comfortably, “Anyways, apparently one of my mom’s friends mentioned the fair to a scout friend of theirs, and they showed up.”

“So…” Armin started, not wanting to sound too pushy, but needing to bring the conversation back to the original question, “...What did you paint?” 

The taller boy’s honey eyes finally snapped up to meet his, “Oh right, um, it was a painting of my mom’s old garden, or really my grandmother’s garden.” Jean scooched his chair closer to Armin’s, and spoke again in a quieter tone, “You see, my mom was born in France, and my grandmother had a beautiful flower garden that my mother used to play in as a kid. She’s been missing her home a lot lately, but we don’t have the time or money to make a trip out right now, so I asked my grandmother to send a picture so that I could paint the garden.”

A smile took to Armin’s lips as he realized that Jean was far more thoughtful than Eren had ever given him credit for. 

“Anyway, we kept it in the house for a while so that mom could look at it, but when her mother passed away six months ago, she asked if I would enter it in the school fair so that more people could experience grandmother’s garden.” The boy with two-toned hair sniffed. Clearly this was still a sensitive subject.

Armin reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

Jean shook his head, “No, I want people to know. It’ll let my grandmother live on.” He mutters, flicking a tear from his eye. And it was this that sparked something in Armin that he had never felt before. Jean hadn’t done any part of this for himself. The painting was for his mom, the gallery and this very interview were for his grandma, and all of it was strenuous on his part. Eren clearly hadn’t a clue about who Jean really was. “Anyway, um… so when the gallery came along asking if I wanted my work hung up, I actually was very hesitant. I wanted mom to still be able to have a piece of her old home in our current home, but when I asked her, she said she would rather it hang in the gallery for the same reason she wanted me to enter it in the fair.”

“Was it difficult to paint it?”

His face softened, drifting back away from his dead grandma, but the pain was still there behind his eyes, and Armin suspected it wouldn’t fade for a while, “Yeah. I mean, I’m used to painting flowers- I paint them more than anything else, but it was pretty hard to paint a million of them and capture the joy and warmth of a childhood home.”

Armin smiled, realizing that he really didn’t have much else to say, all of his other questions had been answered already. So to cap it off, he simply asked, “Is there anything else you’d like to share?”

Jean smirked and snorted quietly, “Sorry... stupid thought.”

“What was it?” Armin smiled, closing his notebook to let him know that his answer wouldn’t be written down.

The taller boy’s cheeks flushed a little, “I uh… I was going to say: my number. But, I realized that it would probably be less than appropriate.”

Instead of responding, Armin tore out a sheet of paper from the back of his notebook and passed it to him with a pen.

Jean listed his head as if to ask, ‘Really?’ and Armin nodded to reassure him that he did indeed want his phone number. The lanky teen scrawled out a string of numbers on the paper before pushing it back to the blond, cheeks still colored rosily.

Admittedly, Armin’s cheeks weren’t any better. Nevertheless, he pushed the paper into the pocket of his jeans, and rose from his chair, “Well, that’s all the questions I have.” he announced, shoving his notebook back into his bag, which he slung over his shoulders. 

“Oh, ok…”

The blond grinned down at him, “Thank you for letting me interview you.”

Jean shook his head, “No, thank you for helping me spread my grandmother’s memory. It’s more important to me than my lunch period.”

Out of the blue, Armin blurted out, “Will you take me to see it sometime?”

Pushing back his chair and shouldering his own backpack, Jean quirked his eyebrows and clarified, “The painting?”

Armin nodded.

His lips stretched into a wide grin, “Sure, I’d like that.” Then, strolling up to Armin’s side, he placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, “When are you free?”

The boy’s heart lodged in his chest and he squeaked, “Saturday?”

“Awesome, Saturday works for me too!”

The blonde gnawed on his lip as he wondered why it suddenly became so much harder to speak to Jean. “O-ok. I’ll text you then.” Then he made his way to the door, leaving Jean a little ways behind him.

“Hey, Armin?” called the tall teen, keeping in mind the library rules about volume. The short blond turned back, noting that the tinge on Jean’s cheeks had deepened. “Is this a date?”

The boy gulped, feeling his own face heat up considerably, “Uh- um... “ he clenched his fingers around the hem of his sweater vest, “I-if you want it to be.”

Jean, with cheeks still flaming red, strained to keep the smile off of his face, “I- um… I do.”

“Me too…”

Going into this interview, Armin hadn’t expected to come out with a crush on the boy who gets into fights with his own best friend, much less a date with him. Not that he was complaining. In fact, he was ecstatic- he hadn’t been interested in anyone in a long time, but something about Jean made his heart tremble. 

He smirked, thinking, _Eren’s not gonna like this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I have not, nor do I plan to, taken a journalism, yearbook, or art course. This came from what I know from friends and one of my siblings. Personally, I'm more for choir/theatre.
> 
> Next chapter will be a Covid-Themed College AU of my own invention. It will contain a number of ships (Reibert, YumiKuri, JeanMarco, Springles, Eremin, and MikAni).


	28. Covid College AU- Various Ships

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reibert, YumiKuri, JeanMarco, Eremin, and Connie all pitch in to rent a house together just months before the Covid 19 Pandemic hits. So, now they are all stuck with each other. Not to mention that Sasha and MikAni visit daily. Thus, lots of chaos ensues. 
> 
> This is my own creation, and I sincerely apologize for taking so long to get it done. These last two or so weeks have been crazy hectic and it doesn't look like it is going to calm down too quickly, so please be patient with me. 
> 
> There are multiple short stories in this chapter, which is partially why it took so long to finish. Each is divided from the others and has it's own heading consisting of the title and the name of the person whose POV it is.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Internet Problems (Armin POV):**

Armin sat down with his computer having successfully forced Eren out of their room. Today was the big day. He was going to give a speech, which he had spent the last month writing. It was for his Communications class, which he should have taken in his freshman year but he decided to wait on it. Whatever the case, he was extremely proud of his work. 

“This has got to be the best thing I’ve ever written for school.” He told Reiner and Bertholdt yesterday. “Maybe ever.”

It was a topic of his choice, but it had to fit the requirements of the assignment- an eight to nine minute persuasive speech that follows the rules on the outline. The professor was kind enough to provide a template to help with writing, and Armin found himself very grateful when he didn’t have to format any of those things himself.

Armin’s speech was on a question of policy- a persuasive speech type to convince someone to do something (there are two other persuasive speech types: question of fact and question of value). He was going to persuade the audience that they should visit the sea, specifically the Mediterranian because it was Armin’s favorite. 

With how passionate he was about the sea, it was a no brainer that he would want to do his speech on it. Every other speech he had done had some tie to the sea, but this was his big chance to really shine.

So Armin set up his computer and pulled out his notecards, not that he’d need them, and logged onto his class.

He made sure his camera was turned on and that it was angled in a way that no one could see Eren’s heaps of clothes on the floor- dirty and clean. He smiled and waved at the teacher and settled down with his hands folded in his lap.

Not ten minutes in, the teacher’s audio started to become warped and the picture broke up into a glitchy mess. Armin turned on his mic to inform the teacher that he didn’t catch what he’d said last, but as soon as the mic was clicked on, he was booted off of the Zoom call.

Armin’s eyes widened and he clenched his fingers around the base of the computer, “What the..?” He pulled out a single earbud and shouted, “Hey! How many of you are on a class right now?”

A chorus of “I am”’s rose from all around the house. He groaned when he heard Mikasa and Annie respond too.  _ Why are they even here? They have wifi back at their apartment… it’s not usually as good as ours, but now that everyone’s using it, theirs probably is faster! _

At least Sasha hadn’t responded, but even if she was supposed to be in a class, she probably was eating in the kitchen instead. Most days, she just did whatever she wanted and watched the recorded lecture when it was time to do homework. It does beg the question, why didn’t she just choose all online classes then? She could have chosen a class with no meet times at all.

Armin heaved a sigh and signed back into his meeting, typing a quick message that his internet is sketchy and it kicked him off. The teacher verbally responded saying that it was alright.

Ultimately, he decided to play it safe, turning his own camera off and closing down all of his tabs in hopes that he’d be able to see and hear more clearly.

He watched the first several speakers deliver their speeches with little to no problem. The worst of it was when the screen went a little fuzzy and the audio came in a bit lagged behind.

But, finally it was his turn, and he was going to have to turn on his camera and mic. It was the policy of the professor- he had to see you while you were speaking, and not just so that he could make sure that you weren’t reading from your outline or a written copy (notecards are the only things that are acceptable), but also so that the class could see your visual aide(s).

He saw himself flicker into view on the screen and he crossed his fingers that it didn’t kick him off again. 

And so he began: “How many of you have been to the sea before? How many of you have been to the Meditteranean sea before?” His hook was simple, and yet he liked to think that it was very effective.

But right as he opened his mouth to announce his thesis, he was kicked off the class. 

Armin’s hands flew to his hair, fingers locking down on the long blond strands. He pulled and tugged and a guttural cry flew from his lips involuntarily. 

He quickly composed himself and raced to log back into his class. He was sure he looked visibly dishevelled, but he didn’t give himself time to smooth his hair back into place. 

Once he was up on the screen again, the teacher paused mid-sentence, “Oh, nevermind. He’s back.”

Armin nodded, smiling sheepishly, “Sorry, there’s a lot of people sharing our internet.”

“S’alright.” The professor made a rolling motion with his hand to indicate that Armin should start his speech again.”

He cleared his throat, getting through both his hook and his thesis this time, but no further before he was kicked off yet again.

This went on another three times, where he would start his speech and get kicked off only to show back up and start again. The professor finally put up his hands, interrupting him as he tried to restart his speech a fourth time, “Armin, it’s alright. Just send me a video by eleven tonight.”

Armin nodded solemnly and turned off his camera and mic. He sighed breathily, slumping into his hands.  _ But I want them to hear my speech. I’m proud of it. I don’t want to just send in a video… _

But Armin relented; there was no other way he could get his speech in, not with the internet like this.

He made a mental note to speak with his roommates though. They were going to have a nice long chat about not allowing Mikasa, Annie, and Sasha be on classes here. This wasn’t going to happen again.

**Food Squabbles (Ymir POV):**

Pulling open the pantry door, Ymir came to find that every single snack food was gone. The chip bin was empty, so was the cracker bin, the candy box, even the organic snacks were gone!

The tall brunette pinched her lips into a frown, slamming the pantry door shut and cupping her hands around her mouth to call, “SASHA!”  
After a couple seconds, loud thumping noises echoed down the stairs and Sasha Braus was on her way.

The shorter girl skipped up to Ymir’s side, listing her head innocently, “What is it?”

“Did you eat all the snacks?” She accused, gesturing vaguely to the pantry beside them. 

Sasha seemed to ponder this. The annoyingly sweet smile didn’t fall from her face, rather it morphed into one that was more teasing and mischievous. She quirked a brow and placed her hands firmly on her hips, “So what if I did?”

Ymir could feel her blood heating up beneath her skin- her whole body was aflame with red hot fury, “You don’t even live here!” There it was- the eruption. “If you’re planning on eating a bunch of snacks over here, at least do us all the courtesy of bringing your own food!”

“No one else has a problem with it.” She shrugged, completely unperturbed by Ymir’s frustrations.

The freckled brunette’s eye twitched with irritation, “Not true! It’s just that no one else has the guts to say it to you!”

At this, Sasha did look a little intrigued by this comment, as if considering its likelihood of being true.

“Connie’s probably the only one who truly doesn’t care because that’s just how he is! But the rest of us all spend a lot of money on groceries, and none of us even get to eat any of it!”

The girl with the abnormally large appetite knew she was in the wrong- Ymir could tell by the cocky glint in her eye- but there was no way in heck that she was going to admit that. She batted her eyelashes and puffed out her lower lip, and her response came in the most annoying, eardrum-bursting ‘innocent’ voice, “I’m saving you a pant size.”

Ymir was done playing, “I’ve had it, Potato-Girl!” She shouted, throwing her arms up in the air. Sasha’s facade fell and she cocked an amused eyebrow at the taller girl. “You need to leave!”

Not surprisingly, the argument continued to escalate in this manner until Ymir was practically screaming her head off and Sasha’s comments transitioned from sarcastic to straight up snarky. Naturally, it drew a lot of attention.

Marco and Armin had gone out onto the back porch to study an hour or so ago, but the rest of the house was subject to this less than friendly debate. Eren and Jean, who were gaming in the living room just a wall away from the argument, simply turned up the audio in their headphones; Reiner and Bertholdt were too ‘preoccupied’ to care *nudge* *nudge* *wink* *wink;* Mikasa and Annie didn’t care enough to react more than raising their brows at each other before returning to their movie; but Connie and Krista both made their way towards the pantry.

Connie took his spot leaning against the wall, ready to jump in pretty much only if it took a turn for the worst and became a fist fight. He was content just observing this play out.

Krista, on the other hand, lept into the fray and placed a hand on her girlfriend’s arm, calling her name to take her blazing attention off of Sasha. She cooed and chided and bribed, but it would seem that Ymir had gone deaf from the fury. 

Ymir was livid; she wouldn’t be calming down anytime soon, she was sure. However, she also knew that if one person would bring her down from this, it was Krista. And given that she didn’t want to be calmed, Ymir forcefully tuned out the small blonde’s words.

But, just as Ymir was about to throw out a term regarding Sasha's eating habits that she was bound to regret at a later date, her girlfriend slipped between the two taller girls, forcing Ymir to notice her.

The freckled brunette’s features soften on reflex, but only for a moment. She was determined to see this argument through until Sasha admitted her wrongdoings and promised not to repeat them again. But her girlfriend knew her well enough to expect this, so Krsita reached up and cupped Ymir’s cheek in her palm, turning her face down to meet hers.

“Hey… hey…” she breathed soothingly. “Ymir, we all have welcomed Sasha into our home and have given her permission to eat our food. If you have a problem with how much of it she’s consuming, you need to communicate that more calmly.”

Connie, still standing behind Sasha, appeared to be a bit disappointed that the fighting had stopped, but pushed off the wall to slip an arm around Sasha’s waist nonetheless.

Ymir pouted, not liking that this was being turned back on her. But, with her face resting in Krista’s palm, she couldn’t stay upset. She deflated and sighed, “Ok…” Sasha’s face lit up when she realized that this meant she was off the hook. Ymir picked up on this too and her hand shot up to point back at the other girl, “But she needs to buy groceries from time to time then!”

Krista turned back to Sasha who considered the offer for a moment before nodding her head. The blonde smiled, “Sounds good to me.” Then, tugging on the taller girl’s shirt she drawled, “Now, how ‘bout we head upstairs to our room.”

Ymir smirked, liking this tradeoff. She tossed an arm around the smaller girl and pulled her toward the stairs, “Let’s go!”

**Pajamas (Jean POV):**

Jean woke up to the sound of Marco calling, “Here!” beside him in the bed. He groggily cracked an eye open, straining at the sudden burst of light that burned his eyes. His boyfriend sat next to him, hair brushed neatly, shirt buttoned up to the top- pristine as usual. Or so he thought…

Sitting up straight, Jean stretched and yawned loudly, earning him a shush from Marco.

His own honey eyes were drawn back to Marco’s coffee colored ones (coffee lacking cream and sugar, that is…). He sent his freckled boyfriend an apologetic smile and glanced away, his eye catching on the color pink, forcing him to do a double take. Marco was still in his PJ bottoms.

They were pink with little penguins on them, and boy did that material look like the softest thing to ever exist.

Jean ran a hand over Marco’s knee, grinning wildly when his fingertips were grazed with the soft microfibers that exceeded expectation. He sunk down on the bed and hugged his boyfriends leg, pressing his face into the outer side of Marco’s thigh as he enjoyed the feeling of the fabric on his face.

The freckled boy tried to push him off, “Not now, Jean. I’m in class,” but Jean’s grip was far too tight to be removed so easily. Marco sighed and gave in, “Ok, but you better not make any noise.”

Jean hummed to let his boyfriend know that he agreed to his terms and snuggled comfortably into his leg. 

Over the process of the next fifteen minutes, Jean had made his way from clutching the side of Marco’s thigh to laying sprawled over his shins and knees. Unfortunately for him, the computer barricaded him from rawling up to his boyfriend’s lap- the comfiest part, given that shins and knees are rather bony.

He was determined to get what he wanted, though, and took to pawing at the back of the computer with his fingertips, hoping that Marco would get the hint and raise the computer up. Marco did not.

Jean kept bushing his fingertips over the back of the laptop’s screen until the freckled brunet peeked over the top and sent him a warning glare, his dark chocolate eyes boring seriously into his own. Jean pouted.

To this, Marco relented with a heavy sigh and lifted the computer just as Jean had wanted. Scooching up until he sat curled in the taller boy’s lap, Jean made himself quite comfortable, relishing the feeling of those soft pajama pants against his cheek, “Mmm… you should wear these to school more often…” 

Marco groaned, resting the computer on top of Jean so that he was still in frame, “Not if you’re going to do this every time.” 

“I thought you like it when I cuddle you.” his tone was sleepy and dazed, much like Jean himself was. In fact, he was probably halfway to falling back asleep right here on Marco’s lap.

“I do, just not when I’m trying to fo-”

Jean’s eyes snapped open, darting up to meet his boyfriend’s when he abruptly stopped talking. 

Marco’s face was flushed- drained of all color and his eyes widened to the size of teacup saucers, “Just my roommate, sir. Sorry.”

Stifling a laugh, Jean waited until he was sure that Marco’s mic was off before asking, “What was that about?”

His usually cheerful and gentle boyfriend quickly turned his death glare on him, which was actually a lot more terrifying than Jean had expected it to be. He discreetly rubbed his mouth whilst replying, “Asked who I was talking to.”

“Just your roommate, huh?” Jean asked sarcastically, shuffling around to purposefully make the computer shake. “Rude. Thought I was your boyfriend.”

Marco’s hands flung to steady the computer, “Knock it off! I’m not going to get called out again!”

Smirking devilishly, Jean slipped his hands under his boyfriend’s shirt and assaulted his sides with nimble fingers. “Then admit I’m your boyfriend!”

With reddened cheeks and wide eyes, the taller boy tried to suppress his squirms, “To the whole class! No way! I’m not crazy enough to interrupt the lecture for that!”

Jean pondered this for a moment- Marco would probably be reprimanded for making such an interruption. He sighed, but did not relent his tickling, “K, then just say it to me.”

“You’re ridiculous!” He stuttered through labored breaths. “But fine! You’re my boyfriend!”

And, as he’d promised, Jean withdrew his hands and settled back into his lap. He was silent for a good two minutes before adding, “I hope you know that we’re making out the second your class ends.”

He didn’t even have to look up to know that Marco was smirking with tinted cheeks, “Duly noted.”

**Keep it Down (Eren POV):**

**Warning: mild sexual content (completely non-graphic)--- pretty much throughout the whole thing. Afterall, this short is about Eren being kept up by his housemates.**

After a long day of school work, Eren yearned for the soft embrace of his down comforter. He craved the sweet calmness that sleep offered. And so, he pulled off his clothes, cursing Morning Eren for deciding to actually get dressed for class today, and briefly considered forgoing pajamas and just sleeping in his boxers. 

Armin’s voice echoed in his head: “Eren… can I ask that you don’t sleep in your boxers anymore?” Eren had been confused at the time, and apparently Armin had noticed because he explained further, “You get cold after a few hours and latch onto me.”

Eren’s cheeks reddened when he heard those words. He hadn’t yet put togethered why he cared so much about doing embarrassing things around his best friend- heck he hadn’t even figured out that he was gay at that point (an interesting story in which Eren comes to realize that he wasn’t “not interested in romance like he thought”, but rather he was just “not interested in romance with females.”)

“Sorry, it just gets a little hard to sleep when you’re practically on top of me.” the blond admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck and staring at his feet.

Eren had agreed then, and so he would honor it now, albeit not happily. He groaned and slipped into his pajamas and flopped onto the bed he shared with Armin. 

They would have gotten separate beds or a bunk bed or something, but it turned out that a single full size bed was cheaper than two twin sized ones. In fact, all their housemates made that decision except Connie who slept on the fold-out couch (although, all of their housemates [minus Connie] were dating before they moved in). But enough about that, no one cares about the furniture.

Eren snuggled underneath the warm comforter and closed his eyes, prepared to let sleep take him into its gentle arms, when a loud thump was heard from beyond the wall to his left, beyond which was Reiner and Bertholdt’s room. 

Eren’s eyes snapped open,  _ Oh… not again… _

A muffled curse drifted through the thin wall followed by, “Sorry, Bert, didn’t mean to push you down so hard.”

Something that sounded vaguely like, “S’alright,” reached Eren’s ears. “Just… keep going… please...”

Eren shook his head and grabbed his phone and earbuds from the nightstand; he was not going to sit here and listen to those two for the third time this week. 

But even through the sweet noise that was Panic! At the Disco, Eren could still hear those sanity-killing calls from his housemates, and it couldn’t possibly stop him from feeling the vibrations from all the thumps of the headboard against the wall.

He groaned, rolling onto Armin’s side of the bed. He doubted the change would help, but perhaps it would be just a tad quieter here. It wasn’t. 

But, even if it were, it would be counterbalanced by praises that were coming from past the wall on Armin’s side. Ymir… gross…

Eren turned up his music until he could hear nothing over it, and then proceeded to put noise canceling headphones over the earbuds. He may not have been able to sleep with this music playing, but it was certainly better than listening to them for an hour or so.

Boy, was Eren going to give it to them in the morning. Hopefully the others would back him up too. Armin would stay downstairs until this was over- he always did. Connie, who always stayed downstairs on his couch, would probably just watch a movie until this finished, and Jean and Marco… well… there’s no way to tell- they could be doing the same as Bert + Reiner and Ymir + Krista and no one would be the wiser (in other words, they know how to be quiet).

Regardless, Eren knew that everyone besides the two couples were bothered by this to some extent, maybe enough to ask them tomorrow morning to keep it down next time.

When Eren could no longer feel any thuds through the walls, he cautiously removed his headphones and earbuds. He silently thanked whatever cosmic being was out there, it was silent.

Turning his head, he glanced at the clock 2:15 AM- he was going to kill them… he had to get up at 6:00 AM tomor- er- today!

**Movie Picking (Reiner POV):**

**Warning: This short contains disrespectful language toward anime--- if this might offend you, I advise you to skip any comments made from Annie in an effort to avoid _that part_ of the conversation.**

**Disclaimer: Annie’s opinion of anime (and Mikasa’s for that matter) is not my own, nor does it reflect my own in any way.**

Having been sitting in front of the movie shelf for twenty minutes now, Reiner was thoroughly exhausted and the way that he dragged the next movie from the shelf and held it up lazily said as much.

“Nah! We watched that last Tuesday!” Connie called with his head in Sasha’s lap- how he was able to make out the cover sideways before anyone else, Reiner didn’t know.

Reiner dropped the movie back into its place on the shelf and pulled off the next one, with which they had a similar problem.

“Saw it last month!” Only this time it was Jean who shouted.

Eren elbowed him in the side as Reiner moved to put the disc back, “No we didn’t, horseface!”

Marco furrowed his eyebrows before tentatively adding, “I think we watched that with Connie after everyone else went to bed, Jean.”

In response, Jean only pursed his lips and shrugged.

“So… yes or no?” Reiner asked, still holding the movie up for the others to see.

Jean and Connie shook their heads and Marco just shrugged, so Reiner put the film back, producing the next one seconds after.

“Mika and I hate that movie.” Annie remarked and Mikasa gave an agreeing shrug and nod.

This went on for another twenty minutes before Sasha called to Bertholdt, who was sitting on the arm of the couch, “Are you sure you didn’t renew the Netflix subscription?”

Bert nodded. He hadn’t shared why he hadn’t paid with anyone but Reiner, who surely wasn’t going to tell the others and break his boyfriend’s trust. Bertholdt’s boss had to let him go last week due to what Eren had taken to calling, “Covid Cuts.”And so, Bert himself had to make some “Covid Cuts” until he could find another job, one of them being his Netflix subscription.

Sasha groaned and kicked Eren’s side, “What about Hulu?”

Eren shook his head, “That was mom’s account. She just let me use it until I finished watching my show.”

It didn’t seem that the brunette, who had somehow managed to keep her slight figure even when all she did was eat and sit on the couch, was going to let this go, “No one has Amazon Prime?”

Marco cocked his head like he was thinking, but the look fell. Reiner smirked knowing what he was remembering- he had an account, but later gave it to his sister because she couldn’t afford it, and she changed the password to something she’d remember. They ran into this problem months ago. (Side note: yes, Marco does still pay for the account.)

Connie mumbled on her lap, “I have Crunchyroll… does that help?”

The group exchanged looks, most looked willing, but they all knew why this one was going to get shot down.

Annie glared, shaking her head. “Nope. No. I did not come over here to watch cartoons.”

“Annie, you know they don’t like it when you call them cartoons.” chided Mikasa, putting her hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder.

The cold blonde crossed her arms and raised a brow, “Oh, so you would want them to put on one of their anime shows?”

Her raven-haired lover shook her head, “No, but you could be a little more considerate, is all I’m saying.”

Pretty much everyone else in the room nodded, all glaring right back at the blonde girl. Well… everyone except Marco and Armin who refused to even look in Annie’s direction when she was fuming this badly.

Connie groaned, “Ok! Ok! No Crunchyroll then…” then he finally sat up from Sasha’s lap, “We could just play a game.”

The room erupted into shouts of “NO!” “Absolutely not!” “What are you even thinking!” (to which Eren commented: “He’s probably not.”) and “Don’t you remember what happened last time?”

Everyone in the room had chills running down their spines at the memory, and Ymir, with Krista on her lap, loudly remarked, “I told you guys that playing uno was a terrible idea.”

The others grumbled in begrudging agreement.

“Ok, there is one movie that is in the maybe pile. It’s Greatest Showman. Can I just put that on?” Reiner announced, bringing their attention back to the matter at hand.

Marco and Armin both muttered, “Of course!” in giddy tones- they were the ones who wanted it so badly the first time it was brought up anyway. The others have half hearted shrugs and hums of acceptance.

Reiner put the movie in and made his way back to the couch, taking his seat by the arm that Bert was sitting on, whispering up to the tall boy, “If I ever have to do that job again, kill me first.”

**Toilet Paper Hunt (Marco’s POV):**

“So, what are we here for again, Armin asked from the backseat, pulling his mask onto his face.

Bert, in the passenger seat, answered as he also put on his facemask, “Milk, eggs, bread, Clorox wipes, detergent, and toilet paper… I think.”

Marco, who was pulling the car into an open parking space, considered Bert’s words for a moment and confirmed, “Yeah, no, that’s right.” Then he put the car in park and put on the emergency brake, before grabbing his mask from the center console and pulling the straps over his ears.

Marco led his friends from the car and strolled into Walmart with them in tow. They bought the eggs, the bread, the milk, and the detergent, but they were unable to find clorox wipes and toilet paper.

Clorox wipes they could live without for another couple days, maybe even a week, but they needed toilet paper. Connie used the last of theirs last night when he thought it would be funny to go TP his professor’s house. How he got Professor Ackerman’s address is beyond Marco’s comprehension.

“Ok, so… we hit Costco then?” Armin suggested as they finished loading the items into the trunk of the Marco’s silver Honda Civic.

Thinking it over, Marco shook his head, “No, we need to get these home first… perishables…”

And so they did. Armin dialed Eren ahead of time to ask him to get the others and carry in the groceries so that they could leave quickly to find toilet paper.

As soon as the trunk closed, Marco stepped on the gas and they sped toward the nearest Costco, which had Clorox wipes, but still no toilet paper.

And so their quest continued as the group of three searched store after store. They visited every Walmart, every Sam’s club, every Costco, and every Target within a five mile radius. They were all out of the one thing they needed.

Out of hope, but not out of luck, the tired three pulled up to some crappy discount store as a last resort option. They wandered through the aisles aimlessly, filling their cart up with a bunch of random stuff they know they didn’t need, until they stumbled across the very thing they were looking for.

Granted, the case of toilet paper was some off brand, oneply version of what one would find at any respectable convenience store, but it was toilet paper nonetheless.

With the help of Bertholdt’s height, they were able to get it down from the top shelf, snatching it up before anyone else could round the corner and try to lay claim to it.

And when they were safely back in the car with their precious toilet paper locked away in the trunk, Marco muttered into the stuffy car air, “Never in a million years would I have expected to struggle this hard to find toilet paper.”

** Where to Go For Class? (Bertholdt POV): **

“Hey, Bert, I’m starting a class, could you find someplace else for yours? Thanks” Reiner ‘asked’ from the desk in their shared room.

Bertholdt tucked his computer under his arm and left the bedroom. Figuring that he would probably need to check every room he came to, He poked his head in on Eren and Armin’s room to find the blond looking rather alarmed at his entry. He left as soon as he’d arrived. He made a stop at the room next to Armin’s, but Krista was also in class with Ymir curled in her lap. Jean and Marco’s room was at the end of the hall, but when he checked there, Jean was on a class and shot him a look like he was prepared to chuck something at him.

With no more rooms upstairs save the bathroom, Berthold descended to check the lower rooms- ALL were taken.

The living room, occupied by Eren, who was playing on his phone below the camera’s view.

The dining room, Mikasa was sitting at the end of the table with her computer propped out in front of her. She shot Bert a questioning look, as if to say ‘Think twice.’

He did indeed, moving to check the kitchen- taken by Annie (and Sasha, but she was just raiding the food cupboards).

The TV room was taken by Connie, who had elected to do class on his ‘bed.’ Seriously, he hadn’t folded up the couch yet and was sitting atop messy sheets and blankets in the same shirt he wore to bed. Even worse, he hadn’t even bothered to put on pants.

And so, Berthold went to check out the last place he could think of- the backyard. But alas, sitting on the back porch in a patio chair was Marco.

When the freckled boy noticed Bert’s stressed expression, he removed an earbud, “Can’t find a place for class?”

The taller boy sighed, running a hand through his hair and nodding.

Marco smiled, “Here, take the backyard.”

“Aren’t you on a class?”

He was already standing up when he replied, “Yeah, but I can find another place. I’ll just grab a fold out chair and sit out front or something.”

Bertholdt turned and reopened the back door, “No, it’s fine, I’ll do that… or… there’s always the bathroom.”

Marco snorted and immediately covered his mouth to hide the uncontrollable grin on his lips from his class. And, through closed fingers, he murmured, “Don’t do that, at least consider the laundry room or the garage first.”

Bertholdt nodded and turned inside. He and his housemates really needed to consider kicking Annie, Mikasa, and Sasha out during school hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm so sorry that this took me so long to finish, but I hope you all enjoyed!
> 
> Side Note: I actually did have another short planned for this chapter- a Connie centric one- but I decided to cut it given how long this was already taking me and that it had little to do with the pandemic at all. It was literally titled "Connie and the Fold Out Couch" and was going to consist of people waking him up in the night on their way to the bathroom/kitchen/something and Sasha crowding him when she slept over. Anyway... idek why I'm putting this here...
> 
> Next chapter will be a Bertholdt x Annie one-shot, as requested.


	29. Bertholdt x Annie- Training (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annie and Bert are in the Training Corps and Annie takes it upon herself to help Bert get better at hand-to-hand combat. Only one problem, Bert can't bring himself to "hurt" her, even though she reassures him that he won't.
> 
> Requested by Attack_on_titanXD101. Thank you for requesting!

Bert swung his leg, aimed to sweep Annie’s out from under her. His movements were ever so slightly hesitant; he held back only a bit, but it slowed him just enough that Annie was able to adjust her stance and grab onto his leg, pulling him toward her. His other leg buckled and he was sent crashing down to the floor. 

“Ah!” he cried softly as his back hit the tightly packed soil- hardly a soft landing. Annie appeared above him with only a trace of an apology in her eyes, offering a hand for him to pull himself up. He took it and pushed up onto his feet. “Sorry…” He murmured, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, “I don’t know where I’m going wrong.”

She glanced up at him, her usual apathy veiling her true feelings, “You hesitated.”

“Huh?”

Annie rolled her eyes, “You second guess yourself and it slows you down.”

Lowering his head, “I- I-” He started before realizing that the words that were about to leave his lips were incredibly exposing.

“You... what?” When his eyes flicked up to read her expression, he noticed that her eyebrow was raised expectantly and her hands were on her hips. This confused Bertholdt; Annie never cared enough to ask a follow-up. But that probably meant she didn’t plan on dropping the subject either.

Without bringing his head up, he huffed subtly, “I… didn’t want to hurt you.”

Annie scoffed, “Doubt you have that in you.”

“Huh?” At this head lifted and his eyes locked onto her mostly disinterested crystal blue ones. “I- I’m strong.” He exclaimed defensively.

She shrugged and stepped away from him, whisking a hair behind her ear, “Hand-to-hand was never your strong suit though.” Bertholdt silently wondered how she could manage to be both right and wrong. Sure, he wasn’t ever particularly good at hand-to-hand combat, not like Annie was. But, she was wrong in that it wasn’t the reason that he was incapable of hurting her.

No. He knew why. He would never admit it aloud- not to himself, not to her, and especially not to Reiner (he would never let Bert live it down). But deep down, buried purposefully in the very back of his mind, he loved her. He knew he shouldn’t; it could totally mess up everything that the three of them were hoping to accomplish, not to mention that Annie had never even expressed even slightly that she even liked Bertholdt as a friend- though that could very well just be because Annie never lets onto how she really feels.

But that thought, in this moment, dragged itself up out of all that he had piled on top of it. Everything he had done to forget it was undone in this moment, and it brought a fierce red tinge to his cheeks and prickling droplets of sweat to his brow.  _ You love her. _

Annie listed her head, “You alright?”

Bert tried desperately to shake the look from his features, to make that cursed thought disappear. He stared intently at the ground-  _ don’t look at her! It’ll only make it worse! _ He cleared his throat, an action that only served to make his voice squeaky when he tried to reassure her, “YE-ah!” gulping down that horrendous voice crack, he attempted a second time, “I- um.. I’m fine.”

When he finally raised his eyes from his military-issued boots, he was unable to miss the look on Annie’s face- a cocked eyebrow; unimpressed, thinly stretched lips; head tilted expectantly. She was far from convinced.

“Can we- uh… Can we go again?” he finally asked, straightening his back to stand a little more confident.

Annie’s expression fell and she nodded, reassuming her stance from before- poised ready to deflect any attack he could send her way. He wouldn’t beat her this time, that much he knew. But, at the very least, it would take the attention off of his sudden burst of awkwardness.

Taking a calming breath, Bertholdt readied himself to make his second attack, assessing her stance and taking into account her usual strategies. If he could slip in fast enough- wait, no. That wasn’t even an option. He had never been able to best Annie in a test of speed.

He readjusted, recalculated. He may not be able to catch her off guard by speed, but perhaps by misdirection.

Thus, he positioned his body toward her left side and fixed his gaze on her steadier leg. She might take into account that Bertholdt wouldn’t be dumb enough to go for that leg, but it was relatively unlikely.

She counted under her breath, “Three… two… go!”

Bert pushed off, making his way to her left, and at the last possible second, he swerved in the other direction, making a play for her right foot with his own. By some miracle, Annie neither anticipated his move, nor did she realize it in time to dodge his attack.

He kicked her leg out from under her, and she started to fall to the ground. His eyes widened both in disbelief and alarm. His arms swung out to catch her before she hit the ground and to steady her when she was back on her own two feet.

He scratched the back of his neck, vaguely aware of the feeling of sweat trickling beneath his hairline, “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting that to actually work…” 

She frowned at him, looking disappointed and maybe a little angry too, “You should have let me fall. The match was in your hands.”

“I- I-” He didn’t know what to say. Shouldn’t she be happy? He was able to best her, which was a good sign that her training was paying off, and he hadn’t let her fall and hurt herself.

“Listen, Bertholdt,” her voice was menacing, fierce, and defensive even, “I’m not some delicate damsel, so don’t you go getting it into your head that I can’t take something so insignificant as being tripped!”

She was angrier than he’d seen her in a long while- eyes narrowed, jaw clenched, eyebrows drawn in tight. 

Bert shook his head, “No, no, no! You don’t understand!” he called, frantically trying to climb back out of the hole he dug for himself. “I think you can handle just about anything, Annie!” This caught her attention, her features relaxed in curiosity. “But that doesn’t mean that I want you to have to experience hardships- no matter how small! And certainly not at  _ my _ hand.”

She quirked an eyebrow and cocked her head, “Why do you care so much?”

With a tomato red face and sweat dappling his forehead, Bertholdt didn’t even need to give a verbal answer.

“Oh…”

His eyes were locked on the dry ground beneath him- he couldn’t bear to look up now, to see her face. She knew. She knew that he loved her. There was no going back.

But then, “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

This was enough to get him to raise his head and meet her icy blue eyes, “Huh?”

Annie crossed her arms and gave a bemused smile, a look with more emotion than she had expressed since they started training camp, “I like you too, dummy.”

In this moment, Bert was sure his jaw dropped open, but he couldn’t say for sure- his entire body went numb. He blinked several times until he “regained consciousness.” 

“You… what?” 

She huffed in amusement, suppressing a soft grin, “I said I like you too.” then after a moment, she added, “That is why you care so much… right?”

He gulped, “Uh- yeah! Um… I just… don’t… know what to say…”

She stepped forward, pushed up on her tippy toes, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled his face down until their noses were touching, “Don’t have to say anything.”

And then she kissed him!  **The** Annie Leonhart was kissing him!

She pulled away after a second released her grip on his shirt collar, looking up at him expectantly.

“So, um, does this mean that we’re like..?”

She smirked, “A couple?”

His eyes shot open wide and his heartbeat sped up significantly with those words, “Uh, yeah…?”

Annie shrugged, and then after a moment she nodded, “I mean, yeah, if that’s what you want.”

Bert could feel his lips stretch into a grin involuntarily, “Yes!” he announced loudly, cringing inwardly at himself a second after the excited word left his lips. His eyes slipped back to his feet to hide his embarrassment, “I mean, um… I’d like that.” Taking a risk, he peaked up at her and sent a sheepish smile.

Annie was staring up at him still with that softened look painted on her face, “Good… me too…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be an Erwin & Adpoted Daughter one-shot, as requested.


	30. Erwin & Adopted Daughter- Wedding (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin attends his daughter's wedding- a somewhat bittersweet occasion for him. (I seriously almost cried writing it...) It's not very long, but I really love it, so I hope you all enjoy it too.
> 
> Note: This was a request for fluff, and I got a little carried away with slight sad elements (a good, beautiful kind of sad), but overall it's pretty fluffy. Hope this is ok!
> 
> Disclaimer: Sharla (the OC) does not belong to me. Sharla Smith (the person) owns her. So, thank you for letting me use your OC for this one-shot!
> 
> Requested by Sharla Smith. Thank you for requesting!

Erwin remembered the day Sharla entered his life. It flashed gently behind his eyes as he watched his “little” girl walk down the aisle. It hadn’t been a pretty story- not considering her early years. The sheer fact that she was adopted by a nineteen year old Survey Corps soldier spoke volumes by itself. 

But, none of that mattered now- not the way she looked after a battle with scrapes and bruises up and down her arms, not the blood splatter that covered her face the first time she killed a titan, not the helplessness on her tired face when he took her in- today was her wedding day, and none of the unpleasant memories of the past would ruin this day.

Erwin was never the sort to be overly protective of his daughter. Sure, he cared about her more than any other person in his life, but she was her own person and so he would always respect her decisions- even when he didn’t completely agree with them. So, he let her join the Training Corps, he didn’t complain when she chose the Scouts, and he didn’t make a fuss when Shadis promoted her. But, this also meant that, when it came to romance, he was more accepting of it than anyone had expected him to be.

When she had told him she was in love, he was ecstatic- not worried about who this man was or whether he might break her heart, like most dads would be. No, instead, Erwin was glad that she found something to live for in this time of seemingly endless war. And, knowing how important family was to her, he was even more excited to hear the news that they were engaged a while later.

She had wanted a small wedding, something intimate with only the people closest to her and her soon-to-be husband. So, Erwin had his whole squad and a number of his comrades decorate the Survey Corps’ courtyard yesterday morning, and after several hours of hard work, it was absolutely gorgeous.

Commander Shadis, though he hadn’t been thrilled to hear that a number of his soldiers had taken the day off to set up for a wedding and would also be attending that wedding on his grounds no less, was actually pleasantly surprised to find that he had been invited to the wedding. He gladly accepted and gave all the soldiers the day off- even those who would not be attending the celebration.

Regardless of all the planning and setting up, nothing could have prepared Erwin for the way that Sharla looked walking down the aisle by his side in the simple, lacy white dress. He could never have imagined the sparkling smile on her face that leaked into her not-glistening eyes. No one could have put into words how he would feel at this moment, and not a soul could have properly warned him about the emotions that bubbled up in his chest.

And though she wasn’t his daughter by blood- a fact that hadn’t bothered either of them in a good, long while- he couldn’t help the feeling of pure pride and joy that took him over entirely.

When she finally reached the altar, he had to let her go, hand her off to another man. He wouldn’t lie, it kind of stung- much like the tears pricking at the edges of his eyes.

He knew that it was an irrational feeling. He hadn’t really been her caretaker in a while. The Scouts providing her meals, her room, and all other necessities. Erwin’s parenting job was pretty much over in all practical aspects. He no longer taught her like he used to, or had say over her decisions. He was basically little more than a friend by nature of their relationship. He offered advice and comfort when she was down, and celebration when she was excited. But beyond that, he didn’t really do much.

With this knowledge, he knew that no aspect of their relationship would really change. He would still be there in all those same ways. But, he supposed, she now had another man in her life, who was more important to her than he was now. 

But this sting was smothered by the pure joy that radiated from both the bride and groom, and Erwin realized that this is what is most important. The love that they shared was something to foster, not to squander and stomp out for selfish reasons- reasons that were pretty much invalid for the sheer fact that he would always be her dad and she would always be his little girl.

He finally felt that he could let go of her, and so he did. With tears in his eyes and love in his heart, he watched his daughter and her love exchange their vows, and he was truly happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up will be a Jean x OCone-shot of my own invention.


	31. Jean x OC- Miss Bodt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco's little sister joins the Training Corps against his will and ends up falling for his best friend, who'd've guessed.
> 
> This is a one-shot of my invention, and yes I do own Marci Bodt- I have created her from scratch using my own noggin. If you would like to see more of her, please let me know and I'd be glad to bring her back.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

Marci Bodt- younger sister to Marco (yeah, their mom had decided to go with matching names, ‘cause why not)- found herself standing fourth row from the front of the Training Corps lineup. Director Keith Shadis stood in front of her intimidating the initiate three people ahead of her. 

She quickly noticed the type of people who were getting passed up. ‘What’s different about them?’ She had asked herself. For starters, they all looked so serious, and almost… haunted.

And because she couldn’t afford for Shadis to call her out, she tried her best to steel her face, hoping he would pass her by if she looked just like those other kids.

He approached her, and she held her breath as his eyes passed over her face. His features suggested that he was completely disinterested in her. But unfortunately, his acting skills seemed to be much better than hers because he paused right in front of her.

“WHAT’S YOUR NAME, CADET?” He shouted in her face, little bits of his spittle flying onto her cheeks.

She winced but responded in a reluctant shout, “Marci Bodt, sir!”

“BODT?” he called turning his head back to where he had come from. “WASN’T THERE ANOTHER BODT DOWN THE LINE?”

She nodded, clenching the fist behind her back tightly, “Yes, sir! My brother, sir!”

The Director groaned, “UGH, SIBLINGS! FAMILY MEANS NOTHING HERE, GOT IT?”

“Yes, sir!” 

And with that, he left for his next victim. She could already feel her brother’s stare on her. The look of protectiveness and anger are almost definitely flaring in his eyes. And she could already hear his voice saying, “I told you to stay home, Marci! You promised you’d stay home!”

She couldn’t bring herself to care- not about what her brother would approve of. This is where she wanted to be. She wanted to join the Survey Corps to serve in this endless war against the titans. Her brother, understandably, had an issue with that. Her mom wasn’t exactly thrilled either. But what was she to do? Give up what she honestly believed was her place in life just to assuage her family’s concern? She didn’t think so. No, she was going to defy them if it meant doing what she believed was the right thing.

And once Shadis dismissed them all, her suspicions came true. Marco confronted her and he was far from happy to see her at the camp. But he also didn’t make her leave. 

“Wait, so you’re not going to force me to go home?”

Marco’s gaze softened, seeing just how much this worried his little sister, and so he relented, “No… I’m just worried about you, is all.”

* * *

Marco became more accustomed to the idea of her being there, and figured that he had three years to convince her not to join the scouts. She wasn’t good enough to be in the top 10, that much he knew, but she could always join the Garrison.

This wasn’t to say that she wasn’t good at all, in fact she came in just behind Ymir in rank. She was fast and precise, but wasn’t particularly strong and relied solely on her speed to be able to make deep cuts on the titan dummies. She was good at following instructions and working in a group- she was definitely more of a follower than a leader- but she was also able to work adequately on her own and follow her gut to make decisions. 

And, being naturally friendly, though admittedly less so than her brother, Marci had plenty of friends. She would often spare a piece of her meals to Sasha and allow Connie to prank her. Eren got along well enough with her because she was planning on joining the Scouts and wouldn’t let her family talk her down, much like himself. Mikasa was more or less indifferent to her- it was hard to tell how she felt at most times. She and Armin got on well, as she was more than willing to hear his stories about the outside world and read with him in their spare time. Reiner could always convince her to sneak away in the night to go for a hike with him and Bert, and Annie taught her a lot of what she knew of hand-to-hand combat.

But despite having a number of friends to hang out with, she couldn’t find anyone she’d rather spend time with than her brother and his best friend, Jean.

Marco loved her more than anything else in the world and it showed. He would hold her when she was feeling homesick and keep her giggling whenever either of them made a silly mistake. It was so secret that they knew everything about each other, and they used this to their advantage. They were closer than siblings- he was her best friend and the only person who knew how to handle every one of her moods.

And though this fact was true, Jean was quickly learning too. With all the time he spent with the two of them, he soon learned to pick up on most of their mannerisms and quirks. He could tell when they were happy, when they were sad, when they were homesick, and even when they were indifferent. And they were learning the same about Jean.

Being as close as they were, it was rare to see the three of them apart. During training, they aimed to be as close to each other as possible. At meal times, they sat at the same table just the three of them. They studied together, they snuck out together at night, and they spent almost all their free time at each other’s sides.

But one particular afternoon, Marci found herself alone with Jean. Marco was messing around with his maneuver gear with Armin, so their usual lunchtime-get-away (they preferred to eat lunch out behind the barracks than in the mess hall) would consist of just the two of them.

The dark-haired girl bit into her potato, when, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Jean staring at her. She turned toward him and quirked an eyebrow, potato still caught between her teeth.

“Oh, sorry, uh… I was staring, wasn’t I?” He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck and turned his gaze toward the ground. She nodded. “Sorry, sorry… it’s just that… I’ve always thought long black hair is super pretty…”

She smiled; he thought her hair was pretty? “Oh… thank you… I like your hair too.” She pulled her silky braid over her shoulder, running her fingers over it as if to inspect it for the first time- though she had plenty of experience touching her hair, given that she does it every morning.

At this, he listed his head and his eyebrows shot up, “Huh? Why? It looks really weird.”

Marci just giggled and shook her head, “No, no. I think it suits you.”

* * *

After that day behind the barracks, neither of them brought up their conversation for a long while. In fact, they hadn’t been alone since that day.

But, they would often steal glances at each other when they noticed that Marco wasn’t looking. They would hide their blushes and their longing stares under excuses and lies, and pretend that nothing had changed in the slightest, because… it hadn’t, right? I mean, it wasn’t like either of them confessed their love or anything.

They couldn’t take it very long, though, and after hiding their feelings for another three months, they finally approached each other at the same time. 

She strode up to the mess hall where she was sure Jean was, but as she rounded the corner, she crashed straight into someone. They both fell to the ground with a thump.

Marci sat up rubbing her elbow, which took the brunt of the fall, “Jean?” Then she laughed, “I was just looking for you actually.”

He sat up too, wincing and rolling his shoulders, “Yeah, I was looking for you too.”

“Guess this worked out well.” She chuckled, rising to her feet and offering him a hand, which he gladly took.

She hauled him up and he rubbed the back of his neck- a habit that she learned meant that he was slightly embarrassed and maybe even nervous. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“So… why were you looking for me?”

Jean’s bones went rigid and his eyes widened, “I… um… I was just going to ask if I could talk to you in private.” Then he cleared his throat and added, “Why, um… why did you want to see me?”

She beamed, “Same reason, actually.” 

“Oh, well, you can go first then.” He offered as he crossed his arms in an attempt to keep them from swinging awkwardly.

Pursing her lips and pondering this, Marci decided that she would indulge him, but not here. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out to the training field, which was devoid of soldiers at the time. She stopped in the middle and stood in front of him.

“I need to get something off my chest… It's something I’ve been meaning to say for a while, but I’ve been too nervous to.” She inhaled deeply before finally coming out with it, “I like you, Jean. And, I don’t know if you feel the same way, but before you say anything, I just want you to hear me out, ok?”

Jean nodded, though he looked ready to interrupt her at any moment.

“I’ve liked you for quite some time, and I know that we’re close friends, and you’re best friends with my brother, so it might be weird to hear… but… I do have feelings for you, no matter how many times I try to convince myself I don’t. And… the only reason I feel confident enough to say it is because of the moment we had behind the barracks…”

He smiled at the memory, which encouraged her to keep going.

“If you don’t feel the same way, I understand and I hope we can be friends, but I had to tell you for your sake and mine.” She sighed and turned her gaze to her feet so she wouldn’t see his face. She didn’t want to know whether he was smiling or frowning or… something else.

After a minute of complete silence, Marci considered looking up at him, until he burst into a fit of laughter. This did cause her to turn her gaze to him, sending him a look of deep confusion.

“I like you too, dummy! I thought I was being so painfully obvious!” Jean announced as he clutched his stomach, still laughing like a maniac.

“Y-you, what?”

Jean ran a hand through his two-toned hair, his cheeks colored rosily, “I said I like you. You gonna make me repeat it again?”

She shook her head, giggling a little at his quip. But after a moment, they both felt an uncomfortable weight settle down on the moment. “What are we going to tell Marco?”

* * *

The two decided to keep their feelings hidden a while longer, until they figured out exactly what kind of relationship they were going to have.

They talked it over many times, and it was clear that both noticed the glaring fault that they would be joining different regiments after graduation. Not just that, but Marci was joining the most dangerous regiment of the three. They both realized that becoming romantically involved would likely end quite disastrously.

Jean, knowing that Marco had made it his goal to change Marci’s mind, decided to ask her if she would consider dating through training because it was possible that one of them might change their mind in the next two years.

She didn’t like that he was implying that she would be the one to change regiments, but after he assured her that it was just meant generally, she accepted his proposition.

And so, at the end of their first year of training, it was finally time to talk about how to break the news to Marco.

“Jean, calm down, he’s your best friend- I doubt he’ll be upset with you.” She assured, rubbing her boyfriend’s shoulder soothingly.

The boy with two-toned hair clenched his fists around the white fabric of his pants, still leaning against the back wall of the outside of the girls’ barracks. “Yeah, but you’re his little sister. He literally has told me that he’d do anything for you. What if he doesn't think I’m good enough for you?”

Marci snorted, “You’re probably not.” She was joking of course, and she only said it because she knew Jean could keep up with her humor- he was one of few people who could. But this time, he just shot her a worried glance. Her cocky grin softened, “Sorry, not the time to joke. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Jean tilted his head, silently pleading for more evidence.

“As a matter of fact, he’ll probably see it as a really good thing.” Her boyfriend’s eyebrows raised at this, so she sighed and continued, “Just think about it, Jean. Marco doesn’t want me joining the Scouts, and with your opinions on the matter and the reasons you’re joining the military police, he’ll probably think that you would be in a great position to change my mind if we’re dating.”

Jean shrugged. Marci knew he agreed- she also knew that he was aiming to change her mind. She wouldn’t hold it against him though, just like she wouldn’t hold it against Marco. They’re worried about her, and she thinks that’s pretty sweet- though it’s not going to make her change her mind.

“C’mon, let’s go tell him and get it over with, m’kay?” With this, she pushed up onto her feet and offered Jean a hand, which he begrudgingly took.

When she had pulled her boyfriend up off the ground, they made their way to the boys’ barracks in which Marco and Armin were studying for an upcoming test- something Marci and Jean should probably be studying for too.

She gently rapped her knuckles against the wooden door, which was opened seconds later to reveal Marco himself, “Oh, hey guys. What’s up?”

Marci wrapped her hand around Marco’s right forearm and pulled him onto the porch, “Can we talk to you out here for a minute?”

He nodded and called back inside the door, “Armin, I’ll just be a minute!”

“Okay!” came the voice of the small blond from inside just before Marco shut the door.

“What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Jean cowered behind his girlfriend, and she could tell that Marco was taking note of this, as his eyes were locked on his best friend.

She smiled softly and stepped out from in front of Jean, pulling him up to her side, “ _ We _ ... would like to tell you something.” She emphasized the “we” more to Jean than anyone else to let him know that she was expecting him to participate in this discussion. “You see, Marco, a couple weeks ago, Jean and I-”

“-Admitted you liked each other?” Marco’s interpellation sounded calm and almost amused. “Yeah, Eren was walking by and took it as an opportunity to make fun of you, Jean. He basically told everyone.” The two looked up at him completely dumbfounded- he knew all this time? And he didn’t say anything? “So, are you two dating or something?”

Marci blinked a couple times and gulped, “Um… yeah… Actually we started dating a little bit ago, and we’ve been trying to figure out how to… tell you…”

Her older brother chuckled, “Doesn’t seem like that’s a problem anymore.”

She nodded dumbly, just as Jean’s frozen muscles dethawed, allowing him to ask, “So… you’re ok with it?”

He just laughed again and gently clapped Jean on the shoulder, “Of course.” Then his gaze turned dark and he stared straight into the younger boy’s eyes, “Just don’t hurt her, and we’ll be fine.”

Jean squeaked and nodded vigorously, “Mhm! Ok!”

This time, both Marci and Marco were laughing, which was one thing they shared.

Marci slipped her arms around her boyfriend’s waist and pulled him into a comforting hug, “You scare too easy, love.” Then she pulled away with a soft peck on his cheek and turned to embrace her brother, “Thank you, Marco, for being so cool about this.”

The tall male kissed her hairline and whispered, “Of course, Ci. Long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”

* * *

“I’m just worried, Jean.” Marci admitted aloud, clutching her boyfriend’s arm like her life depended on it as they walked the streets of Trost. “It’s been two days. He would have checked in by now.”

Jean hugged her into his side, and from this she could tell that he was quite concerned himself, no matter how much he’d try to convince her nothing’s wrong, “I know, darling, but you know Marco. He’s probably volunteering in the med tent. They hardly ever get a second to spare in the weeks after something like this.”

She nodded, desperately wanting this to be true, “Would you check for me? You know, after this?”

The boy smiled down at her and pecked her forehead through the cloth of his mask, “‘Course. You wanna come with?”

Her lip trembled at the thought, “No… thanks though. ‘M still not fond of medical equipment.” She left it at that- she had already told Jean about her deep seated fear of various types of medical tools, so she needn’t say anything more.

“Ok, I’ll check in a half hour. This is our last street anyway.” He murmured. The both of them had been avoiding looking at all the carnage on either side of them to the best of their abilities.

Marci spared a look to the side, so much blood and gut splatter lined the walls and streets. It made her stomach churn, so she turned her eyes to her feet.

But minutes later, Jean froze beside her, forcing her to halt as well. She glanced up at him questioningly, only to notice the sheer terror in his eyes, “Jean?”

When she called his name he snapped out of his trance and locked eyes with her. He had seen something, she could tell that much.

So, as she began to turn her head in the direction his had been facing, she asked, “What were you looking a-”

He grabbed the sides of her face and turned her back to him, “No. Just look at me, love. It isn’t pretty.”

Marci searched his eyes for some sign, when it finally clicked. Whoever’s body he was gaping at was someone she knew… personally. She squirmed in his hold, “Jean, let me see. Who is it?”

“No, Marci!” He screamed, dropping his grip to her shoulders and shaking her frantically, “Please don’t look! For your sa-”

She broke free from his grasp and whipped around. He was right, it wasn’t pretty. A body lie propped against the wall of a building. The right half of it’s torso and face were missing, but the oozing of blood had long since stopped. 

Though it wasn’t this that caused her heart to stop in her chest. It wasn’t the gruesomeness of the scene that caused bile to rise in her throat and puke onto the sidewalk. No, it was the unmistakable- unforgettable- freckles that dusted the remaining cheek that did this to her. It was the dullness in once familiar chocolate eyes that brought tears to her own. And it was the sheen of the sunlight on short black hair that drove her to tear at her own. 

She screamed out a blood-curdling cry and sunk to her knees, scrambling toward the body. The smell was rancid, but she didn’t care. She didn’t even care about the possibility of catching an illness from the corpse. She just had to touch her brother’s face one last time.

Her gloved fingers traced constellations on his cheek just like she used to when the two of them were little.

“Marco!” She sobbed, fingers curling around the fabric of his shirt. She brought her forehead down on his good side, letting her tears soak through his bloodied dress shirt. “Why you?” She felt Jean crouch behind her and place a hand on her shoulder as she cried helplessly. “I- I can’t lose you… come back to me…”

Jean wrapped his arms around her stomach and pulled her back into his chest. She turned slightly in his arms and buried her face in his shoulder, tears now seeping through Jean’s uniform jacket. “Why did he have to go, Jean?” she wailed, her whole body shaking with sobs in his arms. 

“I don’t know…” His voice was soft and distant, almost lost. She lifted her gaze to his and noticed that he too had tears streaking down his face, albeit more graceful and dignified than her snotty, glob-like tears.

She nestled back into his chest and his cheek came to rest on her head, “I want my brother back…” She whined, eyes still flowing like a mountain spring.

“Trainee, do you know his name?” Came a femanine voice from behind them.

Jean paid no attention to the woman and instead wondered aloud, “Did anyone see how he died?”

The woman had next to no sympathy in her voice when she repeated, “What’s his name?”

Marci balled her fists and thrashed in Jean’s hold, wanting to give that woman a piece of her mind for being so insensitive. But Jean tightened his grip and cooed into her hair, “She’s just doing her job, love.” after realizing he’d been ignoring the woman. 

Marci only settled a little bit, still quite furious at the woman’s tone.

“If you know, tell me.” At this Jean finally turned his attention directly on her. “Do you understand, trainee? It’s already been two days since the hole was sealed, and we still haven’t finished collecting the bodies. At this rate, there could be an epidemic. We must avert a second tragedy. There isn’t time to mourn your friend yet.” Marci cried out in physical pain at this- it was far from what she wanted to hear. “Understand?”

Jean was silent for a moment, while Marci thrashed around again- he just held her against him as best he could. “104th Trainee Corps.” He began, trembling as he spoke. “Captain of Squad 19, Marco Bodt.” The girl in his arms wailed at the name and slumped down, letting the tears come back again, though softer this time. 

“Marco, then?” the woman repeated, sending knives through the young girl’s already shredded heart. “I’m glad we have a name.” Marci could clearly hear the scratching sound of the woman writing on parchment. It drilled in her ears. “Let’s get back to work.” Then, the woman walked off, going back to whatever she’d been doing before.

Jean finally let go of Marci, letting her sit up before him. She had a grim determination in her eyes, “We’ve gotta stop this from happening again…”

“You still want to join the Scouts?”

She nodded, sparing a glance back to Marco’s mangled body, “For him this time.”

“Then, I’ll go with you.” she froze at this, at a loss for words and struggling to comprehend what he’d said. So he took this opportunity to embrace her again and press his lips to her forehead, “Can’t lose you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes... I got a little carried away with somethings in this chapter. Forgive me if some parts are rant-ish. I didn't want to spend too much more time on my own chapter so I could get back to requests, otherwise I would have edited this chapter and probably cut some stuff.
> 
> Next chapter will be a Sasha x Connie one-shot, as requested.


	32. Sasha x Connie- Hunting Trip (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie and Sasha go out on a hunting trip and run into a bit of trouble. Enjoy!
> 
> Requested by MarcoBodt. Thank you for requesting!

“Cooonnnieeee~” Whined Sasha, tugging his arm behind her as she jogged down the dirt path through the forest. “Run faaaassssteeerrrr!” She screeched into the clean open air. “I wanna get back for dinner!”

The bald boy was already stumbling over his own feet being dragged by the tall girl before him, “Sash! Your legs are way longer than mine! I can’t keep up!”

“Ha Ha!” she teased, starting to run even faster than before, “Guess you gotta work harder then!”

Connie saw the issue well before Sasha did… because, well, Sasha didn’t see it as an issue at all. Up ahead, there was a massive tree root spanning across the path, and Sasha was pulling him toward it at full speed. Connie’s feet already felt like they were going to fly out from under him any second now, so he knew this wouldn’t end well.

He tried to yank his hand back from his best friend, but she had too firm a grip on his wrist. And, when the tree root was upon them, she leapt into the air, sailing over no problem. But, for Connie, it didn’t go so smoothly. His foot caught on it and he was sent flailing to the ground. During his fall, his ankle came down hard on the root and he could swear that he heard it crack (A/N- Sweet, little, dramatic Connie… *smh in amusement*). 

“AH!” He cried out as his body hit the ground. 

Somewhere along the way, Sasha must have let go of his hand because here she was now, crouching by his side and cooing over his wounds, “Oh, crap! I’m so sorry, Connie!” She squawked, kneeling before him. “Are you ok?”

He groaned and pushed himself into a sitting position using mostly his hands, “Yeah… ‘sokay, Sash. I know you didn’t mean to get me hurt…” Then he leaned back on his hands and sighed, “But I do think my ankle’s broken or something, so I think we’re gonna have to set up camp here for the night.”

Her eyes widened and he wasn’t sure if it was because she realized that it meant missing dinner or because she was worried that she broke his ankle. He decided that “both” was the best option to go with in his head.

She leaned over his ankle, which still rested on the root because he was too afraid to move it just yet, inspecting it. “I’m sure it’s not that bad.” She mused as she carefully looked it over, poking and prodding it every once in a while. Then she smirked, “Mhm, I was right.”

He cocked his head, “‘bout what?”

“S’ not broken.” She laughed, sitting back on her heels. “You’re such a dramatic baby!”

Scrunching his nose, Connie pouted, “Am not.”

“Are to!” She insisted, still cracking up and nearly falling on to her back with her violent laughter.

He just rolled his eyes, “If it’s not broken, then what’s wrong with it?”

Her laughter died down slowly and she breathed heavily for a moment to regain the oxygen she’d lost in her fit. Only after she’d calmed down did she answer, “Relax, Con, it’s just sprained.”

Connie sighed- that was good news. “Does that mean we can make it back by dinner?”

The mood died quickly and he realized in an instant that he shouldn’t have brought up food. She sighed heavily and pouted much like he had just moments before, “No… We’re still going to have to stay the night. It’s already getting dark, so there’s an increased likelihood of you falling again, which would be really bad for your ankle.”

He nodded sagely, disappointed himself that they would be missing dinner.

But Sasha pepped up quick, “But since we were out hunting, we have some food with us!”

Connie quirked an eyebrow, “That sounds like a spectacularly bad idea.”

“Whyever do you say that, young bald one?” She shot back, snickering to herself about her oh-so-clever nickname.

He just rolled his eyes again, something he did a lot of around Sasha. Though, to be fair, she rolled her eyes at him an awful lot too. “That’s for the Scouts, Sash. I doubt they’ll be happy to find out that we ate some of it.”

She shrugged, “We can always get more in the morning. I’ve still got my bow and arrows, so I can give you more time to rest while I make up for whatever meat we eat tonight. No worries, I’ve got it all sorted out.”

He snorted loudly at his idiotic friend, “Yeah, sure ya do.”

“Hey!” She shouted, placing her hands defiantly on her hips, “Don’t you forget whose cooking you dinner tonight, you ungrateful invalid.”

Not appreciating being called an ‘invalid,’ Connie glared at Sasha, but didn’t bring it up, “Yeah, yeah, how ‘bout you get started on setting up camp, oh gracious caregiver? At this rate, it’ll be midnight before we eat.”

She scoffed, but rose to her feet nonetheless, “Right, k. I’ll get on it then, Mr. Pushy-pants…”

He furrowed his eyebrows at the particularly odd insult, “Pushy-pants? What the heck is that supposed to mean?”

“You were being pushy and demanding… it seemed to fit.” She tittered and retreated into the forest line to gather some sticks suitable for firewood, leaving Connie by himself with nothing more than that comment hanging in the air.

She returned in a moment and got the fire going shortly after, and Connie laughed at how the firelight made his best friend look kind of demonic. “You look like an idiot.” He remarked as Sasha skewered a piece of meat with a thicker branch she’d found and “washed.” Her tongue poked out from her lips and her eyebrows were drawn in really tightly, and with the yellow-orange light from the fire, her eyes were darkened out by shadows.

Sasha stuck her tongue out intentionally now, making a pretty hilarious face that really made her look Satanic in the light. He keeled over laughing, clutching his stomach tightly as he cackled.

“Rude! Just for that, you don’t get dinner!” She huffed, positioning said dinner over the fire.

"No, no! Sasha! Please! I’m sorry! Please don’t take away my dinner!” He cried in vain. “I take it back! You look like a mystical woodland goddess!”

She smirked, turning the meat over slowly, “That’s more like it.”

If he squinted, Connie supposed she could look like a woodland goddess- a really creepy one that one might hear about in a tale meant to warn children about going into the woods alone (and by warn, he meant scare them into never going into a forest ever again). He started cracking up again, rolling onto his side until his face was too close to the ground, which resulted in him coughing up dirt.

“What’s so funny now?” She asked, though he suspected by her disinterested tone that she knew it was about her.

“S-sorry!” He stuttered through dusty coughs and wheezing laughs. “It’s just that you really do look creepy in this lighting!”

She glared at his face for a second, but, when she burst out laughing herself, he realized that she had really just been inspecting his face as he had done to hers, “You do too, idiot!”

They laughed for a good long while until the meat was done cooking. Sasha cut it down the “middle,” thinking she was being sneaky as she cut it unevenly, but Connie was well aware that she gave herself a slightly bigger piece.

They ate mostly in silence as Sasha was focused intently on her meat and nothing else. Though Connie did make a couple jokes about how she ate like a wildebeest or something. She didn’t pay the insults any mind.

After they were finished eating, Sasha put out the fire, deciding that neither of them wanted to wake up to a forest fire, and snuggled up next to Connie for warmth. “Mmm, you’re soft… like a pillow…”

Connie smiled, feeling a familiar warmth build up in his gut, but what came out of his mouth wasn’t so sentimental, “And you’re crushing me.”

She slapped him in the arm, but laughed anyway. “Awe, you know you love me.” And he knew that she didn’t mean it romantically, but Connie couldn’t help himself.

"More than I should…” He murmured into her hair, which kinda smelled like sweat and dirt. Though, Connie suspected he wasn’t much better.

Sasha was silent for a second, and Connie was really worried that he had just ruined things with his best friend and that things were going to be painfully awkward from now on. He really needed to learn to think before he speaks. But then she did something unexpected, she sighed and lifted her head from his chest, sitting up to face him “Oh thank goodness…”

He cocked his head, “Huh?”

“I thought I was the only one!” She shouted into the dark of the night. He couldn’t see her face well, not in the faint moonlight, but he was fairly certain she was grinning by the tone of her voice.

“Wait, you like me too?” He asked and she hummed in agreement. “Like… romantically?”

“Duh, you brainless gord!” She then threw herself on him and pressed her lips to his. 

He could still taste a slight hint of the meat they ate for dinner as he pressed into the kiss as well. But he pulled back after a moment to add, “Wait, all gords are brainless, pumpkin-head!”

“Would you prefer, most wicked gord?” She offered, giggling her head off. “Because that was my other option, but I was trying to say that you were being stupid!”

He rolled his eyes, “Just kiss me again, potato girl.”

She smacked his shoulder for the second time in the last couple minutes, “You know I hate that name.” But then she kissed him anyway.

Pulling back once again, he taunted, “I know…”

“You’re such an idiot, Cueball!” She called as she sat back away from him again. “Calling names isn’t gonna get you more kisses, dummy.”

He chuckled, adding, “Then why did you kiss me after I called you Potato-girl?”

She pouted, “Shut up… you weren’t complaining.”

“Maybe I’ll complain if you do it again.” Connie knew that pestering her really was the best way to get what he wanted. “Care to find out?”

“Fine!” She then grabbed his face between her hands and smacked her lips against his for the third time. “Take that!”

They stared at each other for a minute as the gravity of the situation sunk in. They were in love with each other and they had kissed three times. But, it wasn’t enough to shake off the hilarity of it either, and they melted into a fit of giggles.

And that’s how the night went… it faded into soft laughter lined with love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a little short, but I hope you all enjoyed it!
> 
> Next up will be a Bertholdt x Annie one-shot as requested.


	33. Bertholdt x Annie- The Beach (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Modern AU in which Annie, Bertholdt, and the other 104th go down to the beach. Annie, however, doesn't seem too thrilled to be there and it's up to Bert to make her trip worthwhile.
> 
> I want to clarify upfront that there are only TWO confirmed ships in this chapter. Beruani (of course) and YumiKuri (bc they're canon). ALL other ships are left unspecified, so you can take things to be how you want.
> 
> Requested by Attack_on_titanXD101. Thank you for requesting!

Annie was in misery. She had been seated between Sasha and Connie on their way to the beach in the backseat of Ymir’s death-trap of a van. It was already bad because Ymir had decided to take a back-route there, so the road was made of nothing more than dirt and gravel with the not-so-occasional rock, dip, or bump.

“Coooonnnniieeee!” Sasha exclaimed, practically jumping over Annie to paw at her bald best friend- or as they liked to call each other: ‘Best-Spuds.’ “ _Please_ give me your chips! I’m _dyyyyyyinnnng_!”

“They’re _mine_!” Connie screeched like a child, turning toward the window and shielding his chips with his body and hands from the grabby girl behind him..

“Give me the CHIIIIIIIPPPPSSSSSS!” At this point Sasha was clawing at him and trying to tickle his sides, still sprawled over Annie’s legs like a beached whale. She then proceeded to unbuckle her seatbelt and jump over Annie’s lap, throwing herself onto the boy with said chips.

Reiner, who was in the middle row, egged them on with cheers and loud ‘whoup’s, while Bert, Eren, and Armin were squashed by Reiner’s moving around. Eren already had Armin on his lap, so it wasn’t like he wasn’t a little squished already. 

Jean, from the trunk with Marco and Mikasa, called to his two friends, “Knock it off you two! The car’s already shaking enough from the road!” They froze for a second, but immediately returned to their bickering. “Connie! Just give her a chip!”

“Heck no, bro! These are miiiiiiiiiinnnnnne!” His high pitched voice caused everyone else in the car to wince, except Sasha, who was more focused on trying to not get kicked or shoved off Connie’s lap before being able to snag a chip from his bag. “You shoulda packed your ooooowwwwnnnn!” He barked in Sasha’s face.

“I DID!” She continued to scramble on his lap, pawing at his face, chest, and arms in hopes that it would distract him long enough for her to get a hand in the bag- it didn’t. “I already ate them!”

Most of the other’s tried not to get involved- Eren made the occasional groan and shouted at them to “cut it out, or I swear I will punch you both-” but Annie seriously did consider tearing Sasha off the boy and throwing her back into her seat.

The charade ended when they pulled into the parking lot for the beach- jam-packed full of cars, but they managed to find a spot after waiting ten minutes for someone to pull out- and Sasha took the moment of excitement of being there to steal a single chip and recede back to her own seat. Connie didn’t even notice that she’d done it; he was far too preoccupied with staring at the beach with starry eyes.

“Let’s gooooooo!!!” Connie shouted as he dove over the seat into Eren and Armin’s laps and flung the door open, almost scratching the side of the car parked next to them with Ymir’s door.

“Connie!” Ymir exclaimed. “ _Don’t scratch my car_!”

“Your van looks like it went through the apocalypse already, a single scratch wouldn’t even be noticeable in comparison.” Eren remarked, helping Armin off his lap and out of the car.

After everyone was standing in the parking lot, they all rounded the car to the trunk to pull out the ice chests, beach chairs and towels, floaties and crap, as well as various other belongings. Once Ymir’s trunk had been unloaded and Jean was done complaining about how awful it had been to sit in that mess, they all began to grab at the pile of junk.

“Let’s go to the beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeach!” Connie yelled, running down onto the sand with two awkwardly huge floaties under his arms- seriously, they dwarfed him. Annie chuckled at the thought.

“What he saaaaaaaaaaaaaid!” Sasha ran after him, a beach chair slung over each shoulder.

Ymir huffed, “You two get back here and carry the rest of your sh–”

“-Ymir!” Krista scolded, cutting off her thought before she could let the next word slip. 

“What!?” Her freckled girlfriend looked down at her to see that she was pouting with crossed arms. Their relationship was one of the most stable in the group, that was for sure, and, if Annie was honest, she was kind of jealous of it. Ymir turned back to the car and grabbed their beverages without another word.

“It’s fine, Ymir.” Reiner responded, already hauling up most of the load into his arms. “We’ll make them do work later.”

“They better.” she growled, handing Krista her drink and then grabbing the ice chest, starting off toward the beach where the other two had run off moments ago.

Annie watched as Connie and Sasha dove into the water, then turned back to the pile of beach-necessities and took the two heaviest bags of food; Armin grabbed some more pool floaties and a bag of random beach toys- like shovels and buckets- that Connie and Sasha brought; Eren took the stack of towels; Bert, being the tallest, carried the umbrella; Marco had two more chairs hanging from his broad shoulders and dragged the roller basket filled with everyone’s personal bags and other things like sunscreen behind him; and Jean took the lighter snack bag that Annie had neglected and the two boxes of pizzas they had picked up on the way here.

They set up where Connie and Sasha dumped their floaties and chairs, taking a minute to lay out the towels, pop open the chairs, set up the umbrella just so, lay out all their snacks and what not, and then they were ready- well, after they applied sunscreen of course.

Annie would take it to her grave that she asked Bertholdt to help her get her back and shoulders, but she trusted him not to tell anyone. She trusted him with a lot, actually.

“Alright!” Reiner announced, clapping his hands together to get some excess sand off, “Let’s get in!”

Krista led Ymir down to the water hand-in-hand, and they stood at the edge of the shoreline until Ymir bent down and picked up a shell, handing it to her girlfriend. Krista slapped it out of her hand, and Annie guessed that Ymir had made some cheesy comment.

Jean and Marco walked down as well with Jean’s arm slung around Marco’s shoulder just barely at a decent angle. He was really lucky that Marco wasn’t even slightly taller.

Eren and Armin strolled down as well, hand-in-hand, as Mikasa trailed behind them with a wistful smile on her face. Armin loved the sea, and she loved to see him get so excited and also to see Eren get excited at his best friend’s attitude. Annie remembered her saying something like that last time they went to the beach- course they’d both been pretty tipsy at the time, so Annie was surprised she could still recall that conversation.

Apparently Annie had been very lost in thought because she didn’t notice Reiner and Bert approaching her, “Come on, Annie! Join us!” Reiner begged, clapping her on the shoulder with one of his massive hands.

“No.” Annie crossed her arms and lowered herself into a beach chair, “Go by yourself, you big oaf.”

Reiner threw up his hands and backed away, “Fine, fine.” He jogged off with Bertholdt in tow, splashing the taller boy with water as soon as they reached the edge of the ocean. 

Annie sighed; she was finally alone. _I wish I had never agreed to come here._ She watched as her friends goofed off in the water. Annie was constantly pestered about getting in the water for most of the day. Eventually, she elected to just ignore them… until Bertholdt sat by her.

“Hey Annie.” He greeted, crossing his legs as he lowered himself into the sand beside her.

“Hi…”

He beamed at her timidly, which kind of annoyed her, given that she could already predict what he was planning to say, “You don’t want to come in with us?”

Annie shot him a cold glare- she guessed it.

“Alright, alright.” Bertholdt then shifted his topic of conversation. “Are you doing alright?”

“I’m fine.”

He released a heavy sigh and raked a hand through his drying hair, “This is supposed to be relaxing. You don’t seem very relaxed.”

“I’m not.” Her voice was stagnant, but her mind and heart were in deep turmoil. She didn’t even really know what she wanted.

“Why is that?” He asked, placing a hand on the arm of her beach chair.

Annie huffed, rather exasperated. She thought her actions summed it up perfectly, “Everyone keeps thinking that just because we’re at the beach that everyone has to get in, but I honestly don’t want to.” 

“No one said you had to.”

_It sure doesn’t feel that way!_

She threw her hands up, “Well then why is everyone bugging me to get in?”

“I haven’t.” She supposed he was right. Even further, not everyone had bugged her- just Reiner, Connie, Sasha, and Ymir. “And they’re only doing that because they want to spend time with you, Annie.” 

“Whatever.” She turned back to the ocean, watching the water glint underneath the midday sun. It occurred to her within mere seconds that this moment- sitting with Bert whilst gazing out on the sea- could be incredibly romantic… well, if not for her own attitude.

But Bert surprised her when he bravely offered, “How about this: you and me stick our feet in the water and talk.”

She quirked an eyebrow, lilting her head, “That’s it?”

“That’s it.” He affirmed, nodding up at her for once. It didn’t last long though; he rose up from the sand and brushed off his pants, now towering over her again.

Annie sighed and stood up. “Alright, let’s go...”

The pair walked along the beach until they found a pleasant spot by the water, sticking their feet into it.

Feeling the cold rush wash over her toes, Annie couldn’t help but squeal and screw her eyes shut. It was freezing! But in a moment, after the water kept rushing back to her as if she were a magnet, her skin cooled to meet the temperature and suddenly she didn’t feel so cold anymore.

“See?” Bertholdt was smiling softly down at her. “This isn’t so bad, right?”

Annie nodded, unable to argue. She actually found the water quite soothing; afterall, it was much nicer than the scorching heat of the day. “It’s not terrible.” 

“Good.” Bertholdt smiled. “I hate it when you’re miserable.”

Annie let her walls fall down. She had been slowly raising them all day with everything that had been going on, but now she had no need. She actually felt comfortable sitting alone with Bertholdt. She could be herself around him… she trusted him.

“Thanks, Bertholdt.” she muttered under her breath so that only he could hear. She wanted to say more, though, so much more.

He grinned down at her, “Oh. You’re welcome.” He replied, sweat beading across his brow, no doubt from the heat she’d been mentally cursing all day long.

“It’s relaxing.” She furthered, still unsure of what she actually wanted to say to him. Whatever it was, it itched under her skin, begging to be freed like a long-kept secret that couldn’t bear to be hidden anymore. Maybe that was precisely what it was.

“It is.” Bertholdt paused, turning back to Annie, who hadn’t realized that he’d turned away in the first place, a look of hope glinting in his eyes.

“Annie…” he began, gulping and wiping the sweat from off his forehead. “I… I really like yo–hanging out with you!” His voice shot up on the word ‘hanging’ as if to emphasize it above all others or to cover up one of them.

Annie raised an eyebrow at his slip-up. She had known about his crush on her since Reiner’s last party because just about every single one of her friends had loose-lips with the secrets they held, Reiner being offender number one. She kind of wanted to confront Bert about it, after their oafish friend confessed for him in the kitchen over a solo cup of crappy beer. But she had decided to play along, figuring that he deserved to tell her himself.

“Me too.” she stated simply, giving him the best smile she could offer, which she knew wasn’t very wide or encouraging, but it was all she had.

He continued moments later, still stumbling for the right thing to say, “You’re… fun.”

She chuckled at this, “Yep, the most fun.”

Either Bert didn’t pick up on her sarcasm, or he’d elected to ignore it. Whatever the case, he kept going, “I just want to let you know, Annie, that you’re really...special- to me, I mean.”

“Oh?” 

“You and Reiner have been my best friends forever, really, and… well, Reiner… he likes Krista and stuff, but you… you’re like… unfazed by everyone. And… I guess… I find that… interesting…” She could see in his face that he knew he was majorly screwing this up, and call her crazy, but she actually found it endearing.

“And…” He went on, and it was right about now that Annie realized he wasn’t going to be able to come right out and say it, “Well… I just wanted to let you know… that I–”

“Have a crush on me.” she finished, still trying her best to smile up at her freakishly tall friend.

Bertholdt stopped, frozen from mortification, “Y-you knew?”

She nodded, crossing her arms again, but not in anger. It was more because she felt awkward just letting them dangle with nothing for them to do. She guessed that she could be pretty awkward too. “For a little while, yes.” she admitted.

Bertholdt’s face turned tomato and little beads of sweat collected on his brow, “ _Oh_.” he squeaked, curling his fingers around the hem of his swimming trunks. Finally, he cleared his throat, “And… you…?” He was practically shaking before her at this point, “Your feelings are…?”

“I think you’re pretty interesting, too.” She smirked, knowing full well that this wasn’t exactly the answer he was looking for, but from the look on his face, she guessed that it told him all he needed to know. For the first time in a long time, Annie’s lips curled into a natural smile all on their own. It wasn’t forced and it felt natural and pleasant.

“So we’re…?” He began again, “I mean… Do you _want_ to…?”

She giggled under her breath at his stumbling words, finding it rather cute, “Sure. I’d like to see where this leads.”

Bertholdt cracked a really goofy smile that made Annie grin a little more widely. In fact, he looked like he was restraining it a little.

“You happy?” Annie asked sarcastically, knowing full well that he was ecstatic. She hadn’t seen him like this in forever, so she knew that this was a pretty special occasion.

“Y-yeah. I am.” 

“Good.” She whispered, hooking her fingers around the collar of his blue swim shirt and pulling him down so that their noses were touching, “Me too.” And she kissed him- a real kiss. It was soft and sweet, but it lasted a good ten seconds before she pulled away.

He looked rather dopey and she suspected she looked somewhat the same, “I could get used to that.” He admitted with cheeks still flaming red.

“Good. There’s plenty more where that came from.” Annie remarked as she slipped one of her arms through Bertholdt’s and turned back to staring out at the sparkling sea.

In the end, Annie’s trip to the beach with her friends went much, much better than she could have ever expected, and she left _much_ happier than she came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed that chapter! I know it came pretty quick, and that's really just because I started this one when I was in the middle of the Connie x Sasha one because I had some ideas for the Springles bickering in this scene while I was writing the hunting chapter. So, win-win, you get these back to back!
> 
> Next chapter will be a Porco x Piek one-shot, as requested.


	34. Porco x Piek- Circus Freaks (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Modern AU where Piek and Porco work in a circus together and have known each other for quite some time. They talk after a performance while winding down.
> 
> Requested by bleuphosphenes. Thank you for requesting!

The torrential applause bounced off the walls of the tent as Piek took her final bow. They were always enamored by her, or otherwise engrossed in her act. As a contortionist, she found that there were a handful in the audience that found it a little more on the odd side than the impressive side. But those people were nonetheless captivated by her.

Then, she bent backward, landing softly on her hands. This was how she’d exit the room- on both her hands and feet with her head tilted back and her hair dragging beneath her. She did it so often that she no longer had to worry about tripping over her raven strands or yanking them in anyway, though it used to be a big problem when she was learning. Several of her close friends had just told her to skip the trouble and put up her hair… or cut it. But Piek loved her hair, and she preferred to keep it loose.

When she was finally backstage, where hundreds of people buzzed around her, trying to keep out of her way as best they could, Piek kicked her legs into the air and swung them over her head, until her stomach faced the ground. Then she dropped down to her knees and shuffled back to her “dressing room,” which was really nothing more than a vanity in the corner by dozens of others that looked exactly like hers. 

She wasn’t sure why, but after a show, it felt nice to walk on her hands and knees rather than on two feet. Though, she suspected it might have something to with getting used to a change in her center of gravity- during her acts, she rarely stands upright. Whatever the case, it was what was most comfortable to her, so she did it after every performance regardless of the looks it may give her from her coworkers.

Finally reaching her vanity, Piek was elated to see that Porco was already sitting at his, which was the one next to hers. She crawled up into her seat and watched as the boy next to her jumped out of his seat momentarily.

“Crap! Piek! You can’t just sneak up on me like that!” He chided, pressing a hand to his chest as he caught his breath. “I didn’t see you coming!”  
She smiled innocently at him before turning to the mirror before her to inspect her makeup- an aspect of the job she wasn’t particularly fond of. “Now, whose fault is that, Pock?” She knew he hated that nickname, and that was precisely why she was using it now.

He said nothing about it, just shot her a glare, “Yours! At least try to be loud when you’re going to walk like that!”

Grabbing a makeup wipe and dragging it across her forehead, Piek watched the perfect complexion fall away, giving way skin with a blemish or two and a scar here or there. Piek hadn’t been self-conscious in a while; she knew about the scars on her face- not that there was an abundance of them- and most of them came from training accidents or were acne scars that hadn’t yet faded completely from her teenage years. 

“Anyway, how did your show go tonight?” He asked, also removing makeup from his face, though his was done far more sparingly. She never understood why he had to wear any at all. He wasn’t even near the flashy stage lights and it’s not like people went to see him look pretty- far from it actually. 

Piek shrugged, “Same as always, I guess.” She paused for a moment as she sealed her lips shut to wipe the areas surrounding her mouth. “Crowds seemed pleased, but the routine was the same as last week’s.”

Porco nodded, thumbing away his simple eyeliner with a cotton pad doused in makeup remover. “No slip-ups, I take it?”

“Nope, all went smoothly.” She affirmed, squinting at herself in the mirror to make sure that there were no remains left on her face- as expected, there were a few areas that seemingly hadn’t been reached. “How ‘bout you?”

The blond set down his cotton pad and swiveled toward her in his chair, “Well. The crowd lost it when I bit that apple in half.”

With a snort, Piek dropped her wipe for a second and turned to face him as well, “Even after you sprayed apple chunks all over them?”

Porco rolled his eyes and turned back to his mirror, tousling his hair to break up the hair-sprayed chunks with his fingers, “You know I don’t stand that close to them.”

She giggled and picked up the wipe one last time, running over the more obscure places of her face that might have been missed. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

“People are always so surprised when I do the apple trick though… I mean, it’s literally the picture on my poster!” He mused, picking up a comb and raking it though his hair to finish the job his fingers started.

Shaking her head, Piek reminded him, “No, they changed it, remember? It’s the picture of you with the large sugar crystal in your mouth.”

His eyebrows furrowed, as she could see in his mirror, “The one that they made me that was the size of my fist?”

“Yep, that’s the one.”

Porco grimaced at the memory, “I remember that all too well… I cracked a tooth on that- had to go to the dentist to get it fixed.”

With a burst of a laugh flying from her lips, Piek slammed her head down on her vanity, calling out, “I remember that! You looked so stupid!”

He really had. Both of his front teeth had been missing the innermost corner so it looked like he had an arch between his two front teeth. On top of that, he couldn’t speak properly until he got back from the dentist.

“Rude.”

Once her laughter died down, she raised her head and took a deep breath, “Sorry, sorry, you may continue with your thought.”

The boy sighed and dragged a hand though his now- mostly- smooth hair, “Anyway, all I was going to say is that if they saw the poster and my title, they really shouldn’t be as surprised as they are when it actually happens.”

Piek straightened her posture until it was obviously rigid and coughed to ready her ‘deep-voice,’ “Come and see the Jaw Titan, who can crunch through even the _largest_ apple!”

The blond cracked up at her commentator voice, “Yeah, and who approved that name, anyway? I certainly didn’t.”

Piek shrugged, taking up a brush and pushing it through her hair gently, “I don’t know, but your jaw certainly is titan-sized when it’s open all the way like when you’re doing your act.”

Porco huffed, “That’s because I unhinge it so I can fit my mouth around the apple. It’s not the actual size of my jaw, Piek.”

She smirked because she was still quite able to get under his skin in the best way, “Ha. Ha. I know.”

“Whatever.” He then turned to massage his jaw in the mirror for a minute. He often complained about it aching after performances. “Anyways, you have any plans for after we’re done?”

She finished her brushing and dropped it back on the vanity, turning toward her friend, “First, I _am_ done. Second, no. I don’t have plans. Why do you ask?”

He scooted his chair toward her, “Cause I’m going to dinner at the italian place down the street. I’ve got reservations and everything. The only thing I don’t have is a dinner date, and I was wondering if you might like to go with me?”

She eyes him skeptically, “...like a date?”  
Snorting, Porco leaned back in his chair, trying to seem casual, “I used the words ‘dinner date,’ didn’t I?”

Piek shrugged and grinned, grabbing her coat from the back of her chair, “Yeah, sure. I’ll go to dinner with you.”

The boy rose up from the chair and offered her his hand, “Just please don’t walk on your hands and knees.”

She giggled and then smirked up at her good friend, who it would seem was starting to become something more, “No promises, Pock.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny thing is, I very nearly decided to make this an ATLA AU where Piek is basically Ty-Lee, but I figured this would be better, given that there probably are people reading who don't know ATLA. (And yes, that is why the title is an ATLA reference.)
> 
> Anyway, I thought that since I had the idea, there actually might be some interest in that. So, you guys can definitely request AU's for other series (Hogwarts, Camp Halfblood, ATLA, etc.). 
> 
> Next one-shot will be a Jean x Marco one-shot that I came up with myself.


	35. Jean x Marco- Tutoring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco isn't satisfied with his math grade, being the overachiever he is, and decides to go to the math club for help, only to find that Jean is the president of said math club. 
> 
> This is an original idea of my own. TBH, it was inspired by the Jean x Armin High School AU from a while back- as I was considering what clubs to put Jean and Armin in, my mind kind of wandered and I had another idea... for this😂.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!

An 86% was not good enough for Marco Bodt- maybe on a singular test, but not in a class as a whole. No, he was determined to pass this class with at least a mid 90%. 

But, as luck would have it, Pre-Calculus was difficult. He found it difficult to crack B’s on any test, and he was so glad that homework was based off of completion only, otherwise he’d probably have an even lower B, maybe a C!

“Please, Mr. Zacharius! Isn’t there anyone who can tutor me?” He begged, literally clasping his hands together before him.

His math teacher only shook his head, “I’m sorry, Marco, but all my tutors are quite busy, and you don’t really need it anyway.”

The brunet sighed and pulled his backpack more squarely on his shoulders, “So… there’s nothing I can do to get a better understanding of the material?”

“Other than study?” Mr. Zacharius shook his head solemnly. Marco’s shoulders slumped and he turned to make his way out the door, about to toss a ‘thank you, anyways…’ back to him, when the man added, “Well, actually,”

Marco slid back up to the desk eagerly, eyes widened brightly, “Yes?”  
His teacher rubbed his stubbly chin with his forefinger and thumb thoughtfully, “You could see if the math club is willing to help. They tutor Eren.”

The boy’s lips stretched into a grin that felt wide enough to tear the skin around it, “Thank you sir! I’ll go check them out!” He exclaimed, darting fast to the door before realizing he didn’t know where to go. He turned back, but before he could say a word, Mr. Zacharius spoke without looking up from his computer, “Room 224, they meet after school at 2:45.”

“Thanks again!” Marco shouted one last time before finally ducking out of the room. “Room 224 at 2:45” he spoke aloud, repeating it in his head like a mantra as he made his way back to the cafeteria.

* * *

It took him a good twenty minutes to find room 224 once classes had ended, and another five to work up the courage to open the door and actually enter. But once he took a deep breath and steadied himself, he was ready to go inside.

He turned the knob in his hand and pushed the door open, stepping inside quietly so as not to disturb their meeting.

Marco’s eyes scanned quickly over the room, noticing that Armin Arlert and Bertholdt Hoover sat in the first row, and Eren Jaeger sat in the row just behind Bertholdt, who turned back to take a look at the paper on Eren’s desk and pointed out a mistake for him to correct. At the end of Eren’s row sat Mikasa, his adoptive sister, who was playing on her phone- she must have been waiting for Eren to go home.

But it was none of these things that caught his attention. No, what his eyes locked on in an instant was the club’s president, the boy standing before the white board, marker in hand and poised to write something out. The boy had sandy blond hair on top and a dark undercut. He wore a red and black flannel over what Marco knew was a Queen T-shirt.

How did Marco know what T-shirt the boy was wearing? Well, that would be because he had driven his best friend to school this morning and had seen his outfit.

The teen at the board froze when his head turned to see who was at the door, the marker faltering in his grip, ‘Marco?”

“Jean?” The brunet blinked repeatedly as he tried to sort out the information being presented at him. No, no, Jean couldn’t be the president of the math club… Jean hated math, didn’t he? Not only that, but Jean was supposed to be at the soccer team’s practice right now. “Wha- wait- huh?” He shook his head as if to clear out the confusion and met his best friend's eyes again, “Explain.”

Jean dropped the white board marker and rushed toward Marco, pushing him back out into the hallway and shutting the door to room 224 behind them, “Not in there…”

“Ok, well we’re not in there, so please enlighten me.” he replied a bit more sassily than Marco was used to sounding. “I thought you were at Soccer practice! Why would you lie to me?”

Jean sighed and raked a hand through his choppy hair, “Because Marco… you’re supposed to be the smart one! And I didn’t want you to know that I’m better at you in math.”

This one comment hit him hard, and his mind was instantly swarmed by a million thoughts. Was that really how Jean saw him? Saw himself? Had Marco really made Jean feel that he can’t show his natural skills and his intelligence around him? What on Earth could he say in response to that?

He was petrified by this inner monologue and didn’t even realize that Jean was calling his name repeatedly.

“-Marco! You ok?” The blond shook him softly, and the feeling of his two hands on the brunet’s shoulder sparked something in him that brought him back into the conscious world.

The taller boy nodded slowly, still struggling to get his thoughts under control, “I’m so sorry…” was all that he managed to say, but it really did capture how he felt in the moment- he was really,  _ really _ sorry because he had made his best friend feel like he couldn’t be himself around him. Did that make him a terrible friend? Or a terrible person?

Jean released Marco’s shoulders and backed up, “No, no, no, no that’s exactly what I didn’t want…”

Still being a little lost, the freckled brunet folded his arms over his chest. There was one thing he knew for sure in this moment, Jean was telling him that he hadn’t wanted Marco to apologize. In fact, the other boy nearly always hated it when his best friend apologized for things because, nine times out of ten, he was apologizing for something that was not his fault or that were otherwise miniscule instances. But this wasn’t either of those things; this was Marco’s fault and it wasn’t a small issue. So he shook his head vehemently, “I don’t care, you need to hear it.”

“No, Marco, it’s not your fault, you shouldn’t be apologizing!” He snapped, standing a hair away from the taller boy now. “So please don’t say it. It’s my fault, and I alone should bear the blame! You did nothing w-”

“Shut up.” He didn’t yell- Marco hated yelling- but he did state this in a loud and firm voice. Jean’s mouth snapped shut quickly, so he continued, “It is, at least partially, my fault.” Seeing the boy open his mouth to protest, Marco held up a finger, “And don’t say that it isn’t. Jean, if I made you feel like you can’t be yourself around me then I failed as a best friend… and I am so sorry for that…”

The boy with two-toned hair sighed and rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, “Can I speak now?”

He nodded simply, taking a step back from Jean to give him space to explain.

“Marco, it was nothing you did at all…” He whispered, placing his hands on his hips and staring intently at his friend’s shoes. “And let me explain why, ok? No interrupting.”

Marco kept his mouth shut tight, even with as much as he wanted to argue, and as much as he hated seeing his friend like this- well, who was he kidding, Jean was more than his best friend to him. Marco had fallen for Jean long ago on a warm summer night just before their Sophomore year of high school- a year and a half ago. Consequently, he didn’t just hate seeing him like this, no the defeated look on Jean’s face crushed his heart completely. But a deep part of him desperately wanted it to not be his own fault-he would rather take an F in math than hurt Jean in any sort of way- and so he would listen.

“My dad was a jock in high school,”  _ Weird transition, but let’s see where he goes with it,  _ he mused internally. “He was the head of the football team and definitely the kind of person that spent his time dunking nerds’ heads in the toilets.” Marco was still not sure what point he was trying to make, especially given that he already knew this. He had been to Jean’s house, he had been in his father’s office and seen all the trophies, he had been shown all the photo books made by Jean’s mom, and he had heard all the stories during dinner time. Jean wasn’t exaggerating about thinking his dad was a bully in high school; Marco himself had heard Mr. Kirstein brag about such antics from time to time. “He made it clear from a young age that I was expected to follow in his footsteps, at least to some degree.”

“Jean-” Marco started, knowing full well where this was going now. They’d had similar conversations before during sleepovers and other hangouts. Marco had always encouraged Jean to do what he wanted instead of what his father wanted from him.

The blond shook his head, “It’s why I tried out for the football team in my freshman year, and when I didn’t make that I went for basketball, and then track even. When I landed in soccer, my dad was a little disappointed it wasn’t football, but then he was overjoyed that I was actually taking interest in his interests.” Jean’s fists were balling up at his side and his brows furrowed angrily. “I know we talked about me doing things that I wanted to do, but he looked so proud of me.”

“He should be proud of you regardless.” Marco murmured under his breath, growing rather furious himself. He had fantasized about giving Mr. Kirstein a piece of his mind since the sixth grade when he had forced Jean to forgo a trip to the museum because he wanted to take him to a football game, saying that there was little value in the trip itself.

Jean sighed, “I know. But he’s not like that. And, I don’t know why… but I always chase after his approval. I’m always trying to please him. And when I realized that I couldn’t stay in soccer and there were no other sports open for try-outs anymore, I realized that I had to join something to keep up the act.”

While his friend paused his speech for a moment, Marco realized that he was far from angry at him for lying about the club anymore. In fact, he was proud of Jean for finding something that he was good at and that he enjoyed. He didn’t even need to ask about the latter, he could see it in Jean’s face when he walked into room 224. The blonde had looked so natural up there, so in his element. He had never been that at ease in sports. So Marco would do whatever it took to keep him in that club- even if it meant covering for him with Mr. Kirstein.

“Anyway, for the first week or two, I lurked around the school to hide away until soccer practice was over and then I’d walk home. But then I was approached by Mr. Zacharius who told me that I was a natural at math. He said that the math club was in dire need of leadership and, if I was interested, I should go check them out.” The shorter male backed up to lean against the wall, skidding down until he was sitting slumped at the base of the wall. “It took me a couple days to think it over and work up the courage to go. But when I did, I saw that Armin and Berthold were the only two members I knew. There were two other people at the time, but one was a senior and the other a junior, so they’re both gone now.”

Marco found his way to Jean’s side, sliding down to sit beside him. He bumped his best friend playfully with his shoulder in an effort to urge him to continue.

He did, “The older two members had exactly no confidence or leadership skills. Armin was running the meetings at the time and he looked like he was going to pass out or cry every single time he spoke. I volunteered to give leading a shot after a week, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

The brunet timidly placed his hand on the blond’s, “I’m so proud of you, Jean! That’s not an easy thing to do.”

Jean’s eyes locked on their hands, but after a second he glanced up into Marco’s eyes and smiled. The taller boy had never been sparing in his praises, always complimenting him or trying to otherwise make him feel good about himself. “Thanks, Marco.” He whispered, leaning into his best friend a little in his moment of vulnerability. “It was hard, but ultimately I decided that this would be my one act of quiet defiance toward my father.”

Smirking, Marco let out a little snort, “Well, you picked a good one then.”

The blond laughed with him, “Yeah, I guess I did.”

“So… why didn’t you tell me?” he asked softly after a good five minutes of them leaning on each other in silence.

Jean didn’t pull away; he snuggled closer, nuzzling his head into Marco’s shoulder, “I just… I guess I still had it wrapped up in my head that I had to be a jock and not a nerd, and if I told you… well then it would be official…”

Marco lifted his head from Jean, eyebrows shooting up, “Why would me knowing make it official?”

The shorter boy raised his head up too so that he could meet his friend’s gaze, though Marco could swear his eyes made a stop on the way to linger on his lips for a moment, “Because you’re the only person whose opinion really matters to me.”

And before Marco knew what was happening, Jean’s eyes were fluttering closed and his face was moving closer to his own. His heartbeat quicked and he could feel the heat rising to his cheeks. Could this really be happening? Could Jean actually like him back, a hope that Marco hadn’t allowed himself to have- ever.

“Jean~” he nearly whined, though he wasn’t quite sure why.

But apparently the blond took this as a sign that he was doing something right because in a second his lips were on his right outside room 224.

Jean’s lips felt so good on his own, so Marco quickly melted into it- feeling all the tension that had been boiling under his skin for years like an unreachable itch dissipate into a peaceful, calming warmth that spread throughout his gut.  
When they separated, Marco tried to say something sweet and clever, emphasis on ‘tried,’ “Speaking of your dad,” This thought was already off to a bad start, “isn’t he homophobic too?” Aaaaand he sticks the landing (not).

The other boy, who was already pink in the cheeks from the kiss, turned flaming red from the thought of having to tell his father, “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it…” he finally states, more confidently than Marco had expected.

The brunet grinned and leaned in to capture his lips again. With as well as he knew Jean, this was all the confirmation he needed- the kiss told him he liked him and that last part let him know that he was ok with a relationship with Marco. “So would you be interested in going out to dinner with me?” he began, continuing quickly when Jean hesitated, “After the math club meeting of course- speaking of which, I could use a little help.”

He chuckled in the deliciously deep tone that sent chills down Marco’s spine, “First, of course we can help you out. And second, I’d love to go on a date afterward.”

Lips spreading into a wide grin, Marco brought his best friend into his arms and pecked him on the cheek, “This is by far the tutoring session I’ve ever had!”

The boy in his arms squirmed free and back-handed his shoulder lightly, “We haven’t even started tutoring yet!”

“But I already got something wonderful out of it.” He squealed cheerfully followed by him peppering Jean’s face with kisses. “I think I’ll be coming to math club meetings frequently.”

Jean pressed his forehead into the crook of Marco’s neck again, and the taller boy couldn’t help but notice the way it fit there perfectly. “Good, ‘cause I wanna be with you every second I can.”

Resting his head atop the blond mop, Marco whispered, “Didn’t know you were such a romantic.”

“Shut up and enjoy it! We’re gonna have to go inside in a minute.” Jean chided, lacing their fingers together in between their bodies. 

Marco pressed one last kiss to his forehead, “I’m already enjoying it…” And for the first time in a long time, both of them were doing what they truly wanted and not what others expected of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I would say: "Please don't laugh at Marco's take on grades because I would react the same way as he did," but that would be hypocritical of me, given that I laugh at myself for caring this much about them... Seriously, it's ridiculous how much I care.
> 
> Note 2: Yes, I know that this chapter is a bit of a mess, and I'm starting to notice that it's a trend in the one-shots I write for myself. 
> 
> Next chapter will be an Eren & Adopted Sister!Reader Oneshots (non-romantic and pretty angsty), as requested.


	36. Eren & Sister!Reader (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MANGA SPOILERS FOR CHAPTER 112!
> 
> \---
> 
> During the scene where Eren is yelling at Mikasa and Armin, he turns to his sister and reveals some pretty heartbreaking truths in the worst way he possibly could.
> 
> Requested by Ryuuka345. Thank you for requesting!

A simple word rang in your ears- it stung and burned.  _ Slave. _ That’s what Eren had called Mikasa and Armin. You couldn’t believe what you’d heard. Sure, you knew that Eren had changed- you’d seen it with your own eyes- but this? This was crossing a new line in your head and it was simply too much to take in.

Who was this person who sat before you now, accusing his closest friends and loved ones of being worth next to nothing. 

And when this brother of yours turned his gaze to you, you felt your blood freeze over. He was glaring daggers into your eyes, full of rage and… hatred. He was looking at you like you disgusted him. “...and you… Y/N, you’re nothing more than a liar. A fraud.”

At this you flinched, turning your eyes, which were trained on the table, back to Eren's, “What?”

He snarled as he folded his hands before him, “You heard me.”

You may have heard him, but you really didn’t know what he meant. You aren’t known for lying- maybe an occasional internal lie meant only to convince yourself, but beyond that you rarely ever gave false information. And you had no idea where the “fraud” thing came from. “W-what are you trying to say?”

“If you don’t already know then you’re far dumber than you look.” He rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair as if casually chatting with an old friend and not harassing the people closest to him. “You’re adopted.”

You sprung up from your seat, hands slamming down on the table “Why would you say something like that, Eren? I’m your sister! I always have been!”

Eren scoffed, “Seriously? You didn’t know this already? I was sure that my father blew it multiple times, and when my mother was being crushed she told me and Mikasa to take care of you as she had.” 

It wasn’t the examples he brought up that sent chills down your spine. No, it was the way that Eren called them his parents, emphasizing his words so that you would be sure that he thinks of them as only his.

Your chest tightened painfully, “W-why? When?” You dragged a hand over your face. 

Eren’s expression never wavered- never softened. It was as if this was the exact reaction he had been hoping for, “Your mother worked with mine at the tavern, I gather. Though... I was young, so I didn’t really get included in these conversations; I only know this because I would overhear them sometimes when they thought I was asleep.”

Your lip quivered, but you wouldn’t allow yourself to cry. Not here. Not when this man, who wasn’t really Eren anymore, would probably revel in your tears.

“Anyway, the story goes that your mom got pregnant by one of her customers, or something. I think mom said it was one of their regulars- only this time it was clear he didn’t come for drinks or a crappy meal. It doesn’t matter though, the point is that she got pregnant and was still working as a barmaid there. She couldn’t afford to keep you, but my parents could.” Eren’s tone throughout the story fluctuated between bored and taunting. You would have never believed that he’d say something like this if you hadn’t been there to see it yourself.

You bit your lip and clenched your fists hard around the fabric of your pants, “Is she…?”

Eren pondered this for a moment, and there was a split second when his eyes widened in horror and perhaps even sympathy, but it was gone as soon as it came. “No…” he drawled, his voice sounding vaguely amused and oh so distant. “She was killed when the Warriors attached Shiganshina.”

Your face fell. You had only found out about your mom today and yet you already longed to meet her- to ask if she would have kept you had she been able to, or if she never would have. And now you would never have to worry about dreading her answer… because… there was no way she could give it.

“Well,” Eren sighed, pushing up from the table, “I do believe my work is done here.” But as he pushed in his chair and squared his shoulders, anger bubbled up inside you. 

With tears starting to blur your vision, despite your determination to keep them away, you spat bitterly, “I hope that shattering my reality so ruthlessly brought you some peace. If you hate me then leave and don’t come back! And if you really don’t need me anymore, then don’t ever come to me for help!” With your gaze and tone softening, you added somberly, “I may not be your sister, but I am a person. And I deserve to be treated as such.”

Simply, he just turned away from you toward his followers by the back wall, “Tie them up and take them to the others.”

All you could do was stare at your lap with an empty gaze as a man yanked your arms behind your back and forced you out of the chair you sat in, tying your wrists together so you couldn’t break free. 

In a moment, you had lost the last bit of family you had- your brother, the notion of your mother and father, and the hope of possibly meeting your birth mother. 

But as not-Eren left the room with his soldiers, and three of them lead you, Mikasa, and Armin down the dark corridors to the dungeon, both of them spared a sympathetic smile your way.

Giving no heed to the soldiers behind you all, “Eren may not be your family,” Armin started, eyes misting a little at the edges, “But Mikasa and I… we’ll always be there for you.”

Mikasa nodded in agreement.

A weak, but grateful, smile spread across your cheeks, “Thank you both.” If you could, you would hug them or inch closer, but the man behind you had too tight a grip to manage anything of the sort, “I don’t care what Eren says about you two either… you’re important to me, and I promise to be there if you ever need me.”

Armin smiled as a single tear slipped from his eye, “We love you, Y/N.”

“I love you both too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This scene was short by nature, but still I apologize for it's length. Still, I hope you all enjoyed! 
> 
> Next chapter will be a Porco x Reader, as requested.


	37. Porco x Reader- Since Forever (Requested)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have known Porco for as long as you can remember. He's been your best friend since birth, and though you never quite thought of him as a brother, he's never really been more than a best friend. However, with him and his brother having been selected as Warrior Candidates, you notice some new feelings arise.
> 
> Requested by Amethyst and 2Dboysupremacy. Thank you both for requesting!

You had known Porco practically since the day you were born. Your mom had gone into labor early and couldn’t make it to the clinic, so Mrs. Galliard- your next door neighbor- had rushed over to help take care of her while your dad was freaking out.

She had an infant and a toddler at the time- both boys. Marcel, the older of the two had apparently been crying because he could hear your mother’s screaming and crying next door. Porco, the infant, oddly enough had slept through the whole event. 

You’ve been told that Mr. Galliard was laughing deliriously for a good twenty minutes after the event because Porco hadn’t slept for more than an hour at a time in the past week and a half.

You had to admit that the story had always amused you too, as you knew Marcel to be the calm and collected brother and Porco to be the whinier of the two. However, neither of them found it nearly as funny as anyone else.

Growing up next door to the Galliards gave you two best friends. Marcel acted a lot like your older brother, standing up for you when some kids your age started teasing you. Porco got really mad whenever this would happen and it often led to him threatening to beat up the kids and having to be held back by Marcel. 

Unfortunately, when the three of you were just becoming adolescents, the Galliard family was chosen for the Warrior Candidate program and both boys were sent to training. They didn’t have nearly as much time for you anymore, as they were working with the military all day long, and they spent most of their afternoons with their parents. 

Nevertheless, the three of you maintained your friendship throughout the hardships that their busy schedule brought.

“I can’t wait to be chosen.” Porco remarked one day, his feet resting on the frame of your bed as he lay back on the stiff mattress. “No way Reiner’s gonna make it.”

This earned him a slap on the shoulder from Marcel, “You don’t know that.” He scolded before returning to his position of resting his elbow on his knees and his face in his hands. “I heard some of the generals talking and they were pretty impressed with Reiner’s devotion and drive.”

The blond boy rolled his eyes, scoffing with little regard for volume, “Yeah, but no amount of determination can make up for a lack of skill. Let’s face it, I’m just better than he is.”

“Perhaps...” And you could hear a hint of concern in Marcels voice, as if he was preparing an argument to convince himself and not the two of you, “But loyalty and determination are also really important.”

Porco just shrugged, “Not like I don’t have those too… I’m just not as psychotic about it as he is.” 

And this comment was abruptly followed by a jab of Marcel’s elbow, “That’s not kind to say.”

“We were all thinking it…”

Soon after, the conversation fizzled out and Marcel and Porco left for dinner, leaving you alone with your thoughts. You would never admit it out loud, but you weren’t proud that your best friends were Warrior Candidates, and you prayed that neither of them would get picked every night before bed.

You knew it was futile though. Only one of the kids wouldn’t inherit a titan, and by the looks of it that kid would be Reiner.

The notion of these two people, whom you cared about more than anyone else, having only 13 years left to live made you want to cry. You’d always imagined growing old with them, raising all of your kids together, living side-by-side until one of you died.

But not all was set in stone. Porco was only just above Reiner and if Marcel was thinking the way she was, which was likely considering his tone from this evening, he would try to influence the generals to pick Reiner instead.

So you’d leave it up to Marcel to save Porco, and you’d cling to that sliver of hope in your moments of despair.

* * *

The day finally came on which the Warriors would be chosen and would inherit their titans.

You weren’t allowed to go- not even the families of the candidates were. But you knew how it would go down. Zeke would inherit the Beast Titan- that much was already decided. After, would be Marcel, Annie, Bertholdt, Piek each inheriting one of the following: Cart, Female, Jaw, Armored or Colossal (not necessarily in that order). The only part that you would have to wait to find out would be who inherited the last titan- Porco or Reiner.

You sat on your porch all day, waiting for the boys to come home. Either way, one of them would come home disappointed; you just hoped and prayed that it was Porco who came home looking glum- as bad as that sounds.

And when the two boys made their way down the street, their parents rushed out and embraced them tightly, murmuring how proud they were of their boys no matter what happened.

You could hear Mrs. Galliard croon over Marcel and then watched as she gave Porco a gentle kiss on the forehead. Assuming that this meant Porco was upset, you had to restrain a grin from creeping up on your cheeks.

Tentatively, you rose from the porch and made your way to the two boys, whose parents departed to let you talk to them, “How did it go?”

Porco pouted and you took this as further evidence, but it was Marcel who answered, “I inherited the Jaw Titan, and… Porco… he didn’t get chosen.”

At this last thing, you couldn’t suppress your ecstasy, grinning and tossing your arms around the taller boys’ shoulders, “I’m so proud of you, Marcel!” You exclaim in an attempt to cover up your true feelings. “...And… I’m sorry, Pock, I know you really wanted to become a Warrior.”

Porco ducked out of your hold, so you dropped your arms and stared at him with sympathy in your eyes, “I’m still a candidate. I might be able to inherit one when their time… is up…” the last couple words fell bitterly from his tongue, as if it was only now that he realized that he’d be losing his brother in 13 years. 

To lighten the mood a little, you cheered, “I have faith in you! You’ll be a Warrior one day!”

With lips still pursed in a pout, Porco begrudgingly muttered, “Thank you, Y/N…”

* * *

The next couple days were pure hell for you. Marcel was training for an upcoming strike on one of Marley’s enemy countries, and then after that it was off to Paradis with three of the other Warriors. Between the fact that Reiner inherited the Armored Titan and that he was going to Paradis with Marcel, Porco was having a fit. He complained for three straight days- nonstop- about Reiner and how he deserved the Armored instead; literally, that was all you heard out of his mouth those days, and when he wasn’t complaining, he was brooding in silence.

After those three days, it died down a bit. But you were still wary of bringing up Reiner or the Warriors for fear of setting him off again.

On the bright side, since Marcel was busy all the time, you got to spend a lot of quality time with Porco… just the two of you.

You were starting to notice that you viewed him a bit differently when he wasn’t with his older brother. Things were less… chummy- for lack of a better word. 

With Marcel, Porco was reined in and kept away from being too sarcastic and such. The conversations were kept light. And, since you had always viewed Marcel as a big brother to you, you had assumed you viewed Porco in the same way. But now you were seeing through new eyes.

Because the Porco’s metaphorical reins were no longer in Marcel’s capable hands, the blond slipped into a rhythm of supplying you with snarky and sarcastic comments. Not that you minded- you had a sharp mind and a quick wit, so you were often able to fire a similar comment back.

However, beyond the rapid fire joking, you found yourself engaging in some flirtatious conversations with Porco as well. Most of these developed out of the sarcasm. It was usually a slow process, and you would usually notice at once that both of you are playfully teasing each other and there’s not an ounce of sarcasm in it anymore. These interactions usually left you both with bright red cheeks.

So slowly, you were starting to question whether you really saw him as just-a-friend after all.

* * *

The day that Marcel left for Paradis, Porco was a mess. He waved his brother goodbye and then immediately ran home. You wanted to run after him, but his parents told you they’d handle it.

Not an hour later, Mr. and Mrs. Galliard showed up at the door of your home and asked to talk to you.

When you finally showed up in the doorway, Mrs. Galliard started gushing, “Porco ran home from the docks and I think he was crying, but now he’s locked himself in his room and he won’t let us in no matter how much we plead. Would you go up and talk to him?”

Eyes widening, you nodded and slipped out from in between the worried parents. You fled down from the porch and up to the Galliard’s front door. It was unlocked, so you just threw it open and ran inside, immediately heading for the stairs.

Finding yourself in front of Porco’s bedroom door, you rapped your fists softly against the wood.

“‘M not coming out, Ma!” he shouted shakily from the other side- he had definitely been crying, as evidenced by the cracked hoarseness of his voice.

You wiggled the doorknob and tried to push the door open, but something was blocking it from inside. You sighed, “It’s me…” There was no reply, but the heavy breathing hiccuped to a stop. “C’mon, Porco, please let me in.”

“I’m fine.” He squeaked, which only added to your evidence to the opposite of that. “You can go home…"

Turning the doorknob more vigorously this time to let him know that wasn’t going to happen, you pursed your lips and loudly announced, “I’m not leaving until you let me in, Porco! I can sit here all night!”

Again, there was no reply, only the sound of shuffling and something scraping against the wood floor. Then after a second of silence, the door opened to reveal a puffy-eyed Porco.

Heart melting for the boy, you crashed into his chest, slipping your arms around his waist. He hesitated a moment, but after a couple seconds you felt his arms wrap around you and his head bury in the nook where your shoulder met your neck.

The two of you sunk to the floor with you rubbing soft circles on his back and cooing softly by his ear. He shook with sobs, but you just held him tighter.

When he hiccupped to a stop- after a good 5-7 minutes of crying in the doorway- you didn’t let him go. He relaxed into your arms and you briefly wondered if he had fallen asleep. 

“I’m worried for him.” His reply was weak and cracked around the edges.

You craned your neck to kiss his jaw- the one spot you could manage to reach, “I know, I am too. But Marcel will be fine- he has the power of one of the nine titans.”

Porco’s lip quivered against the skin of your neck, “I know… but that doesn’t mean something bad can’t happen.”

“It is a dangerous mission.” And when you felt him tense up again, you swiftly continued. “But Marcel’s not alone and they’re all equipped to handle this sort of thing. They wouldn’t have sent them otherwise.”

Porco shrugged, “They might be desperate enough…”

“No, they would have waited a year longer if they thought that the Warriors couldn’t get it done.”

The blond was silent for more than a few minutes after this. He just sat wrapped up in your arms while you listened to his breathing, which was starting to even out.

“...Thank you.” He mumbled against your skin.

You pulled back from him, holding him at an arm’s length so that you could look him in the eyes, “Of course.”

And you could’ve sworn that his eyes dipped down to your lips before locking back on your eyes. Perhaps it was because of this that you started to lean in closer. Porco blinked, but seemed to catch up, as he began to move toward you as well. 

Both of you closing your eyes, You and Porco met in the middle, lips pressed softly against one another’s.

It felt right, somehow, like all the pieces were falling into place. You thought you saw Porco as a brother, and then as only a friend. Only recently had you begun to even take into consideration that there was something more, but in this moment, all your inner turmoil cleared. You loved him, and not in an amicable or familial way. You had fallen  _ in _ love with him. And that was ok… because… he loved you too.

You weren’t sure how you knew that his feelings were so strong, but somewhere in your gut, you just had a feeling it was so.

When you pulled back, it wasn’t rushed or discontented. You weren’t even pulling back for air. You both just decided that it was time to look at each other again. Neither of you said a word though, just gazed lovingly at the other before sinking back into a soft embrace.

“You won’t leave me, will you?” He whispered directly in your ear.

Grinning, you pulled back and pecked his cheek, “Never.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed that one! I thought it was pretty cute.
> 
> Next chapter will be a fluffy Lexi x Petra one-shot, as requested.


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